Smart News | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenWed, 24 Jun 2026 21:31:17 +0000Were Vikings Really ‘Uncivilized’ Barbarians? Large Textile-Production Site Discovered in Denmark Challenges That Stereotypehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-textile-production-site-discovered-in-denmark-challenges-the-stereotype-of-vikings-as-uncivilized-barbarians-180989014/The massive settlement, which spans more than a million square feet, likely dates to the late Iron Age or early Viking Age between 600 and 950 C.E.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:31:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-textile-production-site-discovered-in-denmark-challenges-the-stereotype-of-vikings-as-uncivilized-barbarians-180989014/A Stolen Picasso Just Turned Up During a Drug Raid Near Paris, Reportedly Taken From a Storage Facilityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-stolen-picasso-just-turned-up-during-a-drug-raid-near-paris-reportedly-taken-from-a-storage-facility-180989010/The painting has been authenticated but not revealed. Reports suggest it is one of Picasso's portraits of Marie-Thérèse WalterWed, 24 Jun 2026 20:37:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-stolen-picasso-just-turned-up-during-a-drug-raid-near-paris-reportedly-taken-from-a-storage-facility-180989010/The ‘Odyssey,’ One of the World’s Oldest Stories, Gets a Modern Spin With A.I.-Generated Audiobook Narration by the Voice Clone of an Oscar Winnerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-odyssey-one-of-the-worlds-oldest-stories-gets-a-modern-spin-with-ai-generated-audiobook-narration-by-the-voice-clone-of-an-oscar-winner-actor-michael-caine-180989006/Meanwhile, other actors are pushing back against the use of artificial intelligence in creative projects, including through a new “human consent” registry toolWed, 24 Jun 2026 18:56:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-odyssey-one-of-the-worlds-oldest-stories-gets-a-modern-spin-with-ai-generated-audiobook-narration-by-the-voice-clone-of-an-oscar-winner-actor-michael-caine-180989006/The World's First Nuclear Clocks Are Ticking, Opening a New Way to Investigate Dark Matter and Other Mysteries of Physicshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-first-nuclear-clocks-are-ticking-opening-a-new-way-to-investigate-dark-matter-and-other-mysteries-of-physics-180989002/Two independent teams of scientists have created the first functional clocks that can keep ultraprecise time using the nuclei of a radioactive elementWed, 24 Jun 2026 16:37:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-first-nuclear-clocks-are-ticking-opening-a-new-way-to-investigate-dark-matter-and-other-mysteries-of-physics-180989002/This Newly Discovered Spider Builds a Unique Web That Catapults Ants Through the Airhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-discovered-spider-builds-a-unique-web-that-sends-ants-catapulting-through-the-air-180989003/Flung prey can reach speeds of up to 14.4 feet per second, or a little less than ten miles per hour. An insect will land in the spider's main web about a foot above the spring-loaded trapWed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-newly-discovered-spider-builds-a-unique-web-that-sends-ants-catapulting-through-the-air-180989003/Revealing Its Original Shape Not Seen in Centuries, Greece Restored Part of the Parthenon's Western Facadehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/revealing-its-original-shape-not-seen-in-centuries-greece-restored-part-of-the-parthenons-western-facade-180988996/The project in Athens started in 2017 and involved quarrying, transporting, hand-carving and placing new marble blocks in one of the landmark’s triangular pedimentsWed, 24 Jun 2026 13:12:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/revealing-its-original-shape-not-seen-in-centuries-greece-restored-part-of-the-parthenons-western-facade-180988996/The First Edition of Emily Brontë's 'Wuthering Heights' Contained Incorrect Page Numbers, Missing Punctuation and Three Misspellings of the Word 'Heights'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-edition-of-emily-brontes-wuthering-heights-contained-incorrect-page-numbers-missing-punctuation-and-three-misspellings-of-the-word-heights-180989005/The haunting story set against the Yorkshire moors would become one of the most renowned novels of the 19th century. Now, a rare first-edition copy is heading to auctionWed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-edition-of-emily-brontes-wuthering-heights-contained-incorrect-page-numbers-missing-punctuation-and-three-misspellings-of-the-word-heights-180989005/A Letter Signed by George Washington That Helped Pave the Way for American Independence Goes on Display in Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-letter-signed-by-george-washington-that-helped-pave-the-way-for-american-independence-is-going-on-display-in-london-180989004/Washington dictated and signed the letter in October 1781 to formally accept the British surrender at Yorktown, writing of his “ardent desire to spare the further effusion of blood”Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:27:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-letter-signed-by-george-washington-that-helped-pave-the-way-for-american-independence-is-going-on-display-in-london-180989004/This Magical Curse Written in Greek on a Small Lead Tablet Was Meant to Punish Enemies Nearly 2,000 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-magical-curse-written-in-greek-on-a-small-lead-tablet-was-meant-to-punish-enemies-nearly-2000-years-ago-180989001/The lead curse tablet was discovered in a city square in the Netherlands and recently deciphered by researchers in GermanyTue, 23 Jun 2026 20:21:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-magical-curse-written-in-greek-on-a-small-lead-tablet-was-meant-to-punish-enemies-nearly-2000-years-ago-180989001/This Giant, Seven-Story Picnic Basket, Once Home to an Iconic American Brand, Could Be Yours for $8.5 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-7-story-picnic-basket-once-home-to-icon-american-brand-longaberger-basket-could-be-yours-for-85-million-180988999/The former Longaberger basket company headquarters in Ohio is for sale to a buyer who is willing to preserve its quirky designTue, 23 Jun 2026 19:20:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-7-story-picnic-basket-once-home-to-icon-american-brand-longaberger-basket-could-be-yours-for-85-million-180988999/These Butterflies Can Live 25 Times Longer Than Their Relatives. They Might Provide Insights Into Healthy Aging in Humanshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-butterflies-can-live-25-times-longer-than-their-relatives-they-might-provide-insights-into-healthy-aging-in-humans-180988993/Their unusual diet of pollen—rather than nectar—might partially explain why members of the Heliconius genus live so long, up to nearly a yearTue, 23 Jun 2026 15:47:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-butterflies-can-live-25-times-longer-than-their-relatives-they-might-provide-insights-into-healthy-aging-in-humans-180988993/Female Dolphins Seem to Remember Which Males Were Aggressive During Mating Season—and May Try to Avoid Themhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/female-dolphins-seem-to-remember-which-males-were-aggressive-during-mating-season-and-may-try-to-avoid-them-180988994/When researchers played underwater recordings of pushy males, females that were capable of becoming pregnant swam away from the soundsTue, 23 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/female-dolphins-seem-to-remember-which-males-were-aggressive-during-mating-season-and-may-try-to-avoid-them-180988994/Scientists May Have Discovered the Origins of the Euphrates River, Which Helped Nurture Some of the Earliest Known Civilizationshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-discovered-the-origins-of-the-euphrates-river-which-helped-nurture-some-of-the-earliest-known-civilizations-180988966/The famous waterway began as two rivers, a new study suggests. Tectonic activity around five million years ago probably made them change course and merge, helping to birth the Fertile CrescentMon, 22 Jun 2026 20:51:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-discovered-the-origins-of-the-euphrates-river-which-helped-nurture-some-of-the-earliest-known-civilizations-180988966/Fish and Humans Share Surprisingly Similar Sleep Habits, Including Daytime Napshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fish-and-humans-share-surprisingly-similar-sleep-habits-including-daytime-naps-180988985/A recent study suggests that zebrafish have four sleep substates, just like humans do—and one of them is akin to an afternoon snoozeMon, 22 Jun 2026 20:35:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fish-and-humans-share-surprisingly-similar-sleep-habits-including-daytime-naps-180988985/This Infamous ‘Death Railway’ Station, Built by Forced Labor From Prisoners of War and Civilians in World War II, Was Just Revealed in Thailandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-flock-to-nithe-station-this-infamous-wwii-death-railway-station-built-by-allied-prisoners-of-war-that-was-just-revealed-in-thailand-180988992/The Nithe Station, usually submerged under a reservoir, will be accessible this summer as officials drain the site to perform dam maintenanceMon, 22 Jun 2026 19:14:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-flock-to-nithe-station-this-infamous-wwii-death-railway-station-built-by-allied-prisoners-of-war-that-was-just-revealed-in-thailand-180988992/Scientists Identify Swaths of Coral Reefs That Might Be Able to Withstand Climate Change, Offering New Avenues for Conservationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-swaths-of-coral-reefs-that-might-be-able-to-withstand-climate-change-offering-new-avenues-for-conservation-180988976/New research has mapped more than 64,000 square miles where the crucial habitat seems to be somewhat protected from the impacts of the warming oceanMon, 22 Jun 2026 18:01:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-swaths-of-coral-reefs-that-might-be-able-to-withstand-climate-change-offering-new-avenues-for-conservation-180988976/Authorities Investigated Reports of an Illegal Excavation in Rome. Then, They Stumbled Upon an Ancient Villa Adorned With Mosaicshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/authorities-investigated-reports-of-an-illegal-excavation-in-rome-then-they-stumbled-upon-an-ancient-villa-adorned-with-mosaics-180988995/In the second century C.E., Roman emperors such as Marcus Aurelius and Antoninus Pius frequented the area where the residence was foundMon, 22 Jun 2026 17:58:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/authorities-investigated-reports-of-an-illegal-excavation-in-rome-then-they-stumbled-upon-an-ancient-villa-adorned-with-mosaics-180988995/Two Well-Preserved Roman Busts Were Discovered Inside a Wine Vat in Israel Near the Capital City of a Roman Provincehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-well-preserved-roman-busts-were-discovered-inside-a-wine-vat-in-israel-near-the-capital-city-of-a-roman-province-180988975/One is inscribed with the name "Lycurgus," suggesting the bust may depict the legendary founder of ancient SpartaMon, 22 Jun 2026 13:51:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-well-preserved-roman-busts-were-discovered-inside-a-wine-vat-in-israel-near-the-capital-city-of-a-roman-province-180988975/Archaeologists Discover Evidence That a Wooden Prototype for Stonehenge May Have Aligned With the Solstice 500 Years Before the Stone Circlehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-evidence-a-wooden-prototype-for-stonehenge-may-have-aligned-with-the-solstice-500-years-before-the-stone-circle-180988988/The remains of a wooden monument in southern England, three miles away from Stonehenge, may demonstrate Neolithic people's interest in the heavensFri, 19 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-evidence-a-wooden-prototype-for-stonehenge-may-have-aligned-with-the-solstice-500-years-before-the-stone-circle-180988988/A 6-Year-Old Boy Spotted Something Sticking Out of the Ground in a Field. It Turned Out to Be a Viking Swordhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-6-year-old-boy-spotted-something-sticking-out-of-the-ground-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-a-viking-sword-180988989/Henrik Refsnes Mørtvedt was on a school field trip when he found the roughly 1,200-year-old weapon. The single-edged blade will now be preserved at an Oslo museumThu, 18 Jun 2026 21:20:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-6-year-old-boy-spotted-something-sticking-out-of-the-ground-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-a-viking-sword-180988989/New Discovery That Hunter-Gatherer Children Died of Plague More Than Five Millennia Ago Sets Back the Date of the Earliest Outbreakhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-discovery-that-hunter-gatherer-children-died-of-plague-more-than-five-millennia-ago-sets-back-the-date-of-the-earliest-outbreak-180988983/The skeletons of nomadic families unearthed in Siberia harbor "Yersinia pestis" bacteria, which challenges theories about conditions needed for the disease to spreadThu, 18 Jun 2026 20:58:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-discovery-that-hunter-gatherer-children-died-of-plague-more-than-five-millennia-ago-sets-back-the-date-of-the-earliest-outbreak-180988983/Major Oak, the 1,200-Year-Old Tree with Ties to the Robin Hood Legend, Is Presumed Dead After Failing to Produce Leaveshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/major-oak-the-1200-year-old-tree-with-ties-to-the-robin-hood-legend-is-presumed-dead-after-failing-to-produce-leaves-180988986/The legendary bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor is said to have used the massive tree as a hideout while running from the sheriff of NottinghamThu, 18 Jun 2026 20:43:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/major-oak-the-1200-year-old-tree-with-ties-to-the-robin-hood-legend-is-presumed-dead-after-failing-to-produce-leaves-180988986/This Photography Studio Captured the Beauty of Black Life in the South. Soon Its Archive, Once Hidden Away, Will Have a New Museum Homehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-photography-studio-hooks-brothers-captured-the-beauty-of-black-life-in-the-south-soon-its-archive-once-hidden-away-will-have-a-new-museum-home-180988982/The Hooks brothers documented life and joy in Memphis during the 20th century. Their images will be put on public view when the Memphis Art Museum opensThu, 18 Jun 2026 19:15:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-photography-studio-hooks-brothers-captured-the-beauty-of-black-life-in-the-south-soon-its-archive-once-hidden-away-will-have-a-new-museum-home-180988982/Astronomers Discovered a 'Cosmic Fossil' in the Making—the Most Chemically Primitive Galaxy Seen Yet—by Peering Back to the Edge of Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discovered-a-cosmic-fossil-in-the-making-the-most-chemically-primitive-galaxy-seen-yet-by-peering-back-to-the-edge-of-time-180988954/The James Webb Space Telescope observed 13-billion-year-old light, using a closer galactic cluster like a magnifying glass. The work helps experts understand the universe’s earliest stars and mysterious ultra-faint dwarf galaxiesThu, 18 Jun 2026 16:41:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discovered-a-cosmic-fossil-in-the-making-the-most-chemically-primitive-galaxy-seen-yet-by-peering-back-to-the-edge-of-time-180988954/By Signing His Name to Massive Jars, This Enslaved Artist Defied Literacy Bans in the South. Now, His Masterpiece Is on View With a Famed Paul Revere Bowlhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/by-signing-his-name-to-massive-jars-this-enslaved-artist-david-drake-defied-literacy-bans-in-the-south-now-his-masterpiece-is-on-view-with-a-famed-paul-revere-bowl-180988964/Born into slavery around 1800, David Drake was a skilled ceramicist. His work will be on display at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston as the institution marks America's 250th birthdayThu, 18 Jun 2026 16:29:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/by-signing-his-name-to-massive-jars-this-enslaved-artist-david-drake-defied-literacy-bans-in-the-south-now-his-masterpiece-is-on-view-with-a-famed-paul-revere-bowl-180988964/Researchers Find a Mathematical Pattern Used in City Planning Hidden in the Leaves of a Common Houseplanthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-find-a-mathematical-pattern-used-in-city-planning-hidden-in-the-leaves-of-a-common-houseplant-180988978/The major veins of Chinese money plant leaves form what's called a Voronoi diagram. It might be caused by a plant-growth hormone that emanates in waves from developing leaves' poresThu, 18 Jun 2026 16:02:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-find-a-mathematical-pattern-used-in-city-planning-hidden-in-the-leaves-of-a-common-houseplant-180988978/Nearly All Plants Depend on Tiny Underground Fungi. The Microbes' Vast Global Networks Were Just Mapped for the First Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-all-plants-depend-on-tiny-underground-fungi-the-microbes-vast-global-networks-were-just-mapped-for-the-first-time-180988955/If lined up end to end, the thin, tubular threads that make up the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks in Earth’s topsoil could stretch between our planet and the sun almost one billion timesThu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-all-plants-depend-on-tiny-underground-fungi-the-microbes-vast-global-networks-were-just-mapped-for-the-first-time-180988955/In June 1775, the American Patriots Faced Off With the British at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Archaeologists Are Uncovering Evidence of the Fighting 251 Years Laterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-june-1775-the-american-patriots-faced-off-with-the-british-at-the-battle-of-bunker-hill-archaeologists-are-uncovering-evidence-of-the-fighting-251-years-later-180988979/Researchers discovered gun parts, musket balls and other artifacts in Boston's Charlestown neighborhoodThu, 18 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-june-1775-the-american-patriots-faced-off-with-the-british-at-the-battle-of-bunker-hill-archaeologists-are-uncovering-evidence-of-the-fighting-251-years-later-180988979/Hidden Tunnels Dating Back to Henry VIII's Reign Were Discovered at This English Boarding School, Where the King Once Livedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hidden-tunnels-dating-back-to-henry-viiis-reign-were-discovered-at-english-boarding-school-New-Hall-School-where-the-king-once-lived-180988965/Bones, bottles and pottery were found at the New Hall School, which was once Henry VIII's Palace of Beaulieu. Before that, Anne Boleyn's father owned the estateWed, 17 Jun 2026 20:56:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hidden-tunnels-dating-back-to-henry-viiis-reign-were-discovered-at-english-boarding-school-New-Hall-School-where-the-king-once-lived-180988965/Scientists Discover a New Species of 'Walking' Shark in Papua New Guinea. They Suspect It's at Risk of Going Extincthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-a-new-species-of-walking-shark-in-papua-new-guinea-they-suspect-its-at-risk-of-going-extinct-180988977/The creature belongs to a unique group of sharks whose members can use their strong pectoral fins like legs to get aroundWed, 17 Jun 2026 20:41:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-a-new-species-of-walking-shark-in-papua-new-guinea-they-suspect-its-at-risk-of-going-extinct-180988977/Archaeologists Unearth Hundreds of Artifacts at Fort Ticonderoga, the Site of America's First Offensive Victory of the Revolutionary Warhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-hundreds-of-artifacts-at-fort-ticonderoga-the-site-of-americas-first-offensive-victory-of-the-revolutionary-war-180988971/The objects were discovered on Liberty Hill, the place where many Continental Army soldiers heard the text of the Declaration of Independence for the first timeWed, 17 Jun 2026 18:54:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-hundreds-of-artifacts-at-fort-ticonderoga-the-site-of-americas-first-offensive-victory-of-the-revolutionary-war-180988971/For Its Birthday, the U.S. Will Give Americans of the Future a 900-Pound Time Capsule Filled With Art, Natural Treasures and a Clever Copy of the Declaration of Independencehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indigenous-art-an-eagle-feather-and-a-3d-rendering-of-abraham-lincolns-hand-see-the-items-just-sealed-in-americas-time-capsule-180988973/The capsule was created and filled at the direction of Congress, through the America250 commission. It will be interred beneath an original sculpture on July 4Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:20:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indigenous-art-an-eagle-feather-and-a-3d-rendering-of-abraham-lincolns-hand-see-the-items-just-sealed-in-americas-time-capsule-180988973/Male Bowerbirds in Australian Cities Are Turning Human Trash Into Treasure to Impress Potential Mateshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/male-bowerbirds-in-australian-cities-are-turning-human-trash-into-treasure-to-impress-potential-mates-180988969/Even rural birds prefer human-made objects, such as colored glass and wire, when given the choice between them and natural decorations, like leaves and shells, according to a new studyWed, 17 Jun 2026 15:35:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/male-bowerbirds-in-australian-cities-are-turning-human-trash-into-treasure-to-impress-potential-mates-180988969/This 'Practice-Changing' Gene Test Could Tell Doctors Which Patients With Breast Cancer Can Skip Chemo, Clinical Trial Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-practice-changing-gene-test-could-tell-doctors-which-patients-with-breast-cancer-can-skip-chemo-clinical-trial-suggests-180988957/Chemotherapy comes with debilitating side effects, including brain fog, nausea and nerve damage. New research suggests that many people with a common type of breast cancer need just radiation and hormone therapy to prevent recurrenceWed, 17 Jun 2026 14:01:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-practice-changing-gene-test-could-tell-doctors-which-patients-with-breast-cancer-can-skip-chemo-clinical-trial-suggests-180988957/Scientists Uncover New Clues About the Volcanic Origins of the Giant's Causeway, an Iconic Geologic Structure in Northern Irelandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-uncover-new-clues-about-the-volcanic-origins-of-the-giants-causeway-an-iconic-geologic-structure-in-northern-ireland-180988967/The UNESCO World Heritage Site, which features 40,000 near-perfect hexagonal columns, formed roughly 60 million years ago during a period of intense volcanic activityTue, 16 Jun 2026 21:32:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-uncover-new-clues-about-the-volcanic-origins-of-the-giants-causeway-an-iconic-geologic-structure-in-northern-ireland-180988967/See a Stunning View of the Southern Lights Dancing Across the Earth Captured by a NASA Astronauthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-view-of-the-southern-lights-dancing-across-the-earth-captured-by-a-nasa-astronaut-180988960/Jessica Meir, commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission, shared photos and videos of a green aurora she shot while sheltering in a capsule outside the International Space StationTue, 16 Jun 2026 16:04:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-stunning-view-of-the-southern-lights-dancing-across-the-earth-captured-by-a-nasa-astronaut-180988960/See the First-Ever Photographs of Cozumel’s Elusive Dwarf Fox, One of the Rarest Canids in the Worldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-first-ever-photographs-of-cozumels-elusive-dwarf-fox-one-of-the-rarest-canids-in-the-world-180988961/No one had seen the creatures in more than two decades, leading scientists to wonder whether they'd gone extinct. That changed in September 2023Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-first-ever-photographs-of-cozumels-elusive-dwarf-fox-one-of-the-rarest-canids-in-the-world-180988961/You Can Now See Betsy Ross’ Sewing Table in Philadelphia, Thanks to a Flag Day Donation From Her Great-Great-Great-Great Grandsonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-see-betsy-ross-sewing-table-in-philadelphia-thanks-to-a-flag-day-donation-from-her-great-great-great-great-grandson-180988963/The origins of the Stars and Stripes are murky, but generations of Americans have admired stories about Ross creating the first American flagTue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-see-betsy-ross-sewing-table-in-philadelphia-thanks-to-a-flag-day-donation-from-her-great-great-great-great-grandson-180988963/A Museum of American Music—Headlined by Bruce Springsteen—Opened in New Jersey With Instruments, Lyrics and Clothes From Rock Stars and Pop Legendshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-museum-of-american-music-headlined-by-bruce-springsteen-opens-in-new-jersey-with-instruments-lyrics-and-clothes-from-rock-stars-and-pop-legends-180988958/The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music at Monmouth University, which houses the archives of its namesake Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, welcomed its first visitorsMon, 15 Jun 2026 21:13:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-museum-of-american-music-headlined-by-bruce-springsteen-opens-in-new-jersey-with-instruments-lyrics-and-clothes-from-rock-stars-and-pop-legends-180988958/Venus Flytraps Snap Their Traps Shut in Less Than a Second. Scientists Say They've Discovered How the Predatory Plants Are So Fasthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venus-flytraps-snap-their-traps-shut-in-less-than-a-second-scientists-say-theyve-discovered-how-the-predatory-plants-are-so-fast-180988949/The walls of cells in the leaves' outer layer suddenly soften, allowing the structures to hinge into a closed position, according to a new studyMon, 15 Jun 2026 20:06:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venus-flytraps-snap-their-traps-shut-in-less-than-a-second-scientists-say-theyve-discovered-how-the-predatory-plants-are-so-fast-180988949/With a Beam of Light, the New York City AIDS Memorial Honors the Nearly Forgotten Legacy of This Great American Sculptorhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-a-beam-of-light-the-new-york-city-aids-memorial-honors-the-nearly-forgotten-legacy-of-this-great-american-sculptor-180988956/A new sculpture draws on materials and ideas from Scott Burton's artwork, which offered comfort in urban spaces. His final public series was a set of benches and lights on piers in BrooklynMon, 15 Jun 2026 19:57:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-a-beam-of-light-the-new-york-city-aids-memorial-honors-the-nearly-forgotten-legacy-of-this-great-american-sculptor-180988956/The 'Super' El Niño Has Arrived. Here's How It Might Affect the World's Weather and Economyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-super-el-nino-has-arrived-heres-how-it-might-affect-the-worlds-weather-and-economy-180988951/The naturally occurring climate pattern, characterized by warm surface water in the Pacific Ocean, that has just started could be one of the strongest ever recorded, according to expertsMon, 15 Jun 2026 17:36:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-super-el-nino-has-arrived-heres-how-it-might-affect-the-worlds-weather-and-economy-180988951/'Ugliest Shark on the Planet': See the Elusive Goblin Shark, Filmed for the First Time in Its Deep-Sea Habitathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ugliest-shark-on-the-planet-see-the-elusive-goblin-shark-filmed-for-the-first-time-in-its-deep-sea-habitat-180988950/Scientists spotted the enigmatic creatures in 2019 and again in 2024, marking the first times they've been observed alive in the wild. The sightings drastically expand the animals' known geographic and depth rangeMon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ugliest-shark-on-the-planet-see-the-elusive-goblin-shark-filmed-for-the-first-time-in-its-deep-sea-habitat-180988950/Stay Up Late and Admire the Cosmos With This New ‘Stargazing Trail’ That Links Certified Dark Sky Destinationshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stary-up-late-and-admire-the-cosmos-with-this-new-stargazing-trail-that-links-certified-dark-sky-destinations-180988953/The initiative debuts as Colorado gears up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its statehoodFri, 12 Jun 2026 21:29:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stary-up-late-and-admire-the-cosmos-with-this-new-stargazing-trail-that-links-certified-dark-sky-destinations-180988953/When Claude Monet Planted Water Lilies, Inspiration Struck. An Upcoming Auction Will Test How Much Collectors Prize the Floral Masterpieceshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-claude-monet-planted-water-lilies-inspiration-struck-an-upcoming-auction-will-test-how-much-collectors-prize-the-floral-masterpieces-180988947/The marquee painting from Monet’s "Nymphéas" series is expected to fetch more than $40 million at auction later this monthFri, 12 Jun 2026 20:48:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-claude-monet-planted-water-lilies-inspiration-struck-an-upcoming-auction-will-test-how-much-collectors-prize-the-floral-masterpieces-180988947/Construction in Germany Revealed the 'Princely Grave' of a Celtic Warrior Who Was Buried With Weapons and a Two-Wheeled Wagonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-in-germany-revealed-the-princely-grave-of-a-celtic-warrior-who-was-buried-with-weapons-and-a-two-wheeled-wagon-180988952/Archaeologists say the find proves "the previously only assumed presence of a local Celtic elite." Grave goods also included gold jewelry and a jug imported from modern-day TuscanyFri, 12 Jun 2026 20:21:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/construction-in-germany-revealed-the-princely-grave-of-a-celtic-warrior-who-was-buried-with-weapons-and-a-two-wheeled-wagon-180988952/Working From Home Is Making People Lonelier and Worsening Mental Health, a Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/working-from-home-is-making-people-lonelier-and-worsening-mental-health-a-study-suggests-180988938/The findings do not mean that in-office mandates are a fix, experts say. Instead, workplaces should have flexible policies that allow employees to choose where they’d like to workFri, 12 Jun 2026 19:40:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/working-from-home-is-making-people-lonelier-and-worsening-mental-health-a-study-suggests-180988938/Is Your Dog Right-Pawed or Left-Pawed? Here's How to Figure It Out, According to a New Studyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-your-dog-right-pawed-or-left-pawed-heres-how-to-figure-it-out-according-to-a-new-study-180988941/Researchers devised a series of tests to measure your furry friend's laterality, which can be associated with behavior, emotion and cognitionFri, 12 Jun 2026 19:23:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-your-dog-right-pawed-or-left-pawed-heres-how-to-figure-it-out-according-to-a-new-study-180988941/With A.I.'s Help, a Family Realized Their Mysterious Thrift-Store Find Is a Portrait by a Great Scottish Painterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-help-from-ai-a-family-realized-their-mysterious-thrift-store-find-is-a-portrait-by-a-great-scottish-painter-180988948/The oil painting, the work of "Scottish Colorist" FCB Cadell, just sold at auction for more than $250,000Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:54:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-help-from-ai-a-family-realized-their-mysterious-thrift-store-find-is-a-portrait-by-a-great-scottish-painter-180988948/Researchers Accidentally Discover That Humans Prefer to Turn Counterclockwise. But They Still Have No Idea Whyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-accidentally-discover-that-humans-prefer-to-turn-counterclockwise-180988939/The effect transcends factors like culture, gender and handedness, causing the scientists, who were initially studying social distancing behavior, to scratch their headsFri, 12 Jun 2026 16:30:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-accidentally-discover-that-humans-prefer-to-turn-counterclockwise-180988939/Scientists Discover the World's Largest, Deepest Whale Graveyard, Where Cetacean Remains Have Been Piling Up for Five Million Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-the-worlds-largest-deepest-whale-graveyard-where-cetacean-remains-have-been-piling-up-for-five-million-years-180988942/The massive necropolis, located deep in the southeastern Indian Ocean, is teeming with marine life supported by the whale carcasses, including many suspected new speciesFri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-the-worlds-largest-deepest-whale-graveyard-where-cetacean-remains-have-been-piling-up-for-five-million-years-180988942/See Stunning Photos of New National Park Land That Soon Will Be Accessible From America's Longest National Trailhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-photos-of-new-national-park-land-that-soon-will-be-accessible-from-americas-longest-national-trail-180988943/The 213 acres of land in far northern Wisconsin, along the southern shore of Lake Superior, include a waterfallThu, 11 Jun 2026 21:04:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-stunning-photos-of-new-national-park-land-that-soon-will-be-accessible-from-americas-longest-national-trail-180988943/Mule Deer Are Already Using California's First Wildlife Crossing—and It's Not Even Finished Yethttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mule-deer-are-already-using-californias-first-wildlife-crossing-and-its-not-even-finished-yet-180988933/Construction on the $20 million bridge in Siskiyou County began last year and is expected to be complete by this fall, with miles of eight-foot-high fencing along the highway to help funnel animals toward itThu, 11 Jun 2026 20:40:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mule-deer-are-already-using-californias-first-wildlife-crossing-and-its-not-even-finished-yet-180988933/See Visions of the Past and Future in This New York City Exhibition on the Renaissance Roots of Tarot Cardshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-visions-of-the-past-and-future-in-this-new-york-city-exhibition-on-the-renaissance-roots-of-tarot-cards-180988940/The Morgan Library & Museum traces the history of beautifully illustrated tarot cards from their origins as a card game to modern occult fascinationThu, 11 Jun 2026 18:52:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-visions-of-the-past-and-future-in-this-new-york-city-exhibition-on-the-renaissance-roots-of-tarot-cards-180988940/Scientists Invented a Disease to Test Whether A.I. Knew It Was Fake. Then, Chatbots Started Saying It Was Realhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-invented-a-disease-to-test-whether-ai-knew-it-was-fake-then-chatbots-started-saying-it-was-real-180988924/The eye condition bixonimania doesn't exist, but neither bots nor some researchers caught that the content was fabricated—despite obvious cluesThu, 11 Jun 2026 17:59:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-invented-a-disease-to-test-whether-ai-knew-it-was-fake-then-chatbots-started-saying-it-was-real-180988924/Four Reasons You Should Know More About Gordon S. Wood, the Scholar of the American Revolution Who Died This Week at Age 92https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-reasons-why-you-should-know-gordon-s-wood-esteemed-scholar-of-the-american-revolution-who-died-this-week-at-age-92-180988937/The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, who wrote of the "radicalism" of the country’s founding, was killed in a hit-and-run accident in a parking lotThu, 11 Jun 2026 17:24:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-reasons-why-you-should-know-gordon-s-wood-esteemed-scholar-of-the-american-revolution-who-died-this-week-at-age-92-180988937/Archaeologists Unearth a Marble Aphrodite, a Pharaoh's Cartouche and a Roman Basilica, All in One Ancient Egyptian Cityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-an-marble-aphrodite-a-pharoahs-cartouche-and-a-roman-basilica-all-in-one-ancient-egyptian-city-180988930/The collection of artifacts represents the layered history of Ehnasiya, an ancient Egyptian capital that became the Roman city of Heracleópolis MagnaThu, 11 Jun 2026 14:40:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-an-marble-aphrodite-a-pharoahs-cartouche-and-a-roman-basilica-all-in-one-ancient-egyptian-city-180988930/A Rare Meteorite Found in the Sahara Desert Offers Evidence of a Lost Protoplanethttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-meteorite-found-in-the-sahara-desert-offers-evidence-of-a-lost-protoplanet-180988932/Chemical signatures indicate the meteorite came from an early planet that met an untimely end during the formation of our solar systemThu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-meteorite-found-in-the-sahara-desert-offers-evidence-of-a-lost-protoplanet-180988932/This Woman's Brains Were Scooped Out and Her Bones Were Broken and Whittled in Scotland 2,000 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-womans-brains-were-scooped-out-and-her-bones-were-broken-and-whittled-in-scotland-2000-years-ago-180988935/Researchers say the modifications may represent a previously unknown funerary ritual in Iron Age BritainWed, 10 Jun 2026 21:23:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-womans-brains-were-scooped-out-and-her-bones-were-broken-and-whittled-in-scotland-2000-years-ago-180988935/See the Human Body Morph Into Musical Instruments From Around the World at a New Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Arthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-human-body-morph-into-musical-instruments-from-around-the-world-at-a-new-exhibition-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-180988931/A belly turns into a drum, hands mold into percussion tools and a face adorns a brass bell in this anatomical art history showWed, 10 Jun 2026 19:41:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-human-body-morph-into-musical-instruments-from-around-the-world-at-a-new-exhibition-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-180988931/Researchers Investigated Ancient Squirrel Poop Frozen in Permafrost and Found Enlightening Details About the Animal's Ecosystemhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-investigated-ancient-squirrel-poop-frozen-in-permafrost-and-found-enlightening-details-about-the-animals-ecosystem-180988934/Up to 700,000 years ago, ground squirrels in modern-day Canada collected tons of helpful genetic information on their bygone environment through their dietWed, 10 Jun 2026 18:47:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-investigated-ancient-squirrel-poop-frozen-in-permafrost-and-found-enlightening-details-about-the-animals-ecosystem-180988934/Workers Dredging the Savannah River Stumbled Upon 19 Cannons That Had Been Underwater Since the Revolutionary Warhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-dredging-the-savannah-river-stumbled-upon-19-cannons-that-had-been-underwater-since-the-revolutionary-war-180988928/The centuries-old artifacts emerged from the riverbed between 2021 and 2022. Experts spent several years carefully restoring 17 of them, which will make their public debut in a new exhibitionWed, 10 Jun 2026 18:13:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-dredging-the-savannah-river-stumbled-upon-19-cannons-that-had-been-underwater-since-the-revolutionary-war-180988928/You Can Soon Build the Sagrada Família Out of 12,060 Legos. Here's Why the Famed Basilica Is an Architectural Marvelhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-soon-build-the-sagrada-familia-out-of-12060-legos-heres-why-the-famed-basilica-is-an-architectural-marvel-180988927/Pioneering architect Antoni Gaudí’s plans for the basilica were ambitious and complex, drawing on creative geometric forms and ancient inspiration, which is one reason it remains unfinished after 144 yearsWed, 10 Jun 2026 17:44:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-soon-build-the-sagrada-familia-out-of-12060-legos-heres-why-the-famed-basilica-is-an-architectural-marvel-180988927/Bumblebees Can Solve Problems on the Fly, Adding to the Insects' List of Impressive Cognitive Abilitieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumblebees-can-solve-problems-on-the-fly-adding-to-the-insects-list-of-impressive-cognitive-abilities-180988925/In a series of experiments, the fuzzy pollinators figured out how to use a ball as a tool to access a sugary treat. The study further highlights that the critters are quite clever despite their tiny brainsWed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumblebees-can-solve-problems-on-the-fly-adding-to-the-insects-list-of-impressive-cognitive-abilities-180988925/500 Years Ago, Leonardo da Vinci’s Notebook Was Cut Up and Separated. Now, the Inventor's Manuscripts and Drawings Are Reconstructed in an Online Archivehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/500-years-ago-da-vincis-notebook-was-cut-up-and-separated-now-the-inventors-manuscripts-and-drawings-are-reconstructed-in-an-online-archive-180988922/A new tool developed by Museo Galileo researchers has restored 50 pages from fragments excised centuries agoWed, 10 Jun 2026 02:35:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/500-years-ago-da-vincis-notebook-was-cut-up-and-separated-now-the-inventors-manuscripts-and-drawings-are-reconstructed-in-an-online-archive-180988922/NASA Announces the Crew of Artemis 3, Four Astronauts Who Will 'Take Calculated Risks' in Low-Earth Orbit and Pave the Way for a Future Moon Landinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-announces-the-crew-of-artemis-3-four-astronauts-who-will-take-calculated-risks-in-low-earth-orbit-and-pave-the-way-for-a-future-moon-landing-180988920/The mission, expected to launch next year, will practice meeting and docking with lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue OriginTue, 09 Jun 2026 20:53:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-announces-the-crew-of-artemis-3-four-astronauts-who-will-take-calculated-risks-in-low-earth-orbit-and-pave-the-way-for-a-future-moon-landing-180988920/This Rare, Intricate Brooch Represents the Roman Empire's Long, Disjointed Attempt to Conquer Scotlandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rare-intricate-brooch-represents-the-roman-empires-long-disjointed-attempt-to-conquer-scotland-180988923/The "miniature masterpiece" will go on display during an upcoming exhibition focused on the legacy Rome left in the highlands the empire dubbed CaledoniaTue, 09 Jun 2026 19:55:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rare-intricate-brooch-represents-the-roman-empires-long-disjointed-attempt-to-conquer-scotland-180988923/People Across Cultures Find Women's Faces to Be More Attractive Than Men's, a New Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-across-cultures-find-womens-faces-to-be-more-attractive-than-mens-a-new-study-suggests-180988914/In many species of wild animals, males have flashier features than females to help them attract mates. But scientists have long noticed that humans seem to be an exception, with women often being considered the "fairer sex"Tue, 09 Jun 2026 19:14:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-across-cultures-find-womens-faces-to-be-more-attractive-than-mens-a-new-study-suggests-180988914/'Cute Little Guy': Scientists Discover a Tiny Blue Species of Octopus by the Galápagos Islandshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cute-little-guy-scientists-discover-a-tiny-blue-species-of-octopus-by-the-galapagos-islands-180988919/The palm-size creature was spotted and collected during a research expedition more than a decade ago, but scientists have just identified it as a previously undescribed speciesTue, 09 Jun 2026 18:33:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cute-little-guy-scientists-discover-a-tiny-blue-species-of-octopus-by-the-galapagos-islands-180988919/More Than 100,000 Illegal Exotic Cockroaches Were Seized by Australian Authorities in a Record-Setting Bug Busthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-100000-illegal-exotic-cockroaches-were-seized-by-australian-authorities-in-a-record-setting-bug-bust-180988913/The insects are estimated to be worth up to $141,000, according to Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. Exotic cockroaches could harm the country’s wildlife and agricultureTue, 09 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-100000-illegal-exotic-cockroaches-were-seized-by-australian-authorities-in-a-record-setting-bug-bust-180988913/How Did Stonehenge Get Its Altar Stone? New Research Adds to the Debate Between Human Effort and Glacier Transporthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-did-stonehenge-get-its-altar-stone-new-research-reveals-evidence-adding-to-the-debate-between-human-effort-and-glacier-transport-180988918/Ice flow modeling and geological analyses suggest it's possible that glaciers carried the stone part of the way during the last Ice Age. However, scientists say that scenario is unlikelyMon, 08 Jun 2026 22:33:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-did-stonehenge-get-its-altar-stone-new-research-reveals-evidence-adding-to-the-debate-between-human-effort-and-glacier-transport-180988918/Trail Camera Photos Capture Rare Antelopes in a Kenya Forest Where Conservationists Once Feared They Had Vanishedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trail-camera-photos-capture-rare-antelopes-in-a-kenya-forest-where-conservationists-once-feared-they-had-vanished-180988904/Fewer than 100 mountain bongos are thought to live in the wild, and the new discovery reveals a crucial habitat for the critically endangered creaturesMon, 08 Jun 2026 20:38:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trail-camera-photos-capture-rare-antelopes-in-a-kenya-forest-where-conservationists-once-feared-they-had-vanished-180988904/These Italian Teenagers Stayed Overnight at Their School. They Found Ancient Roman Ruins Hidden in the Basementhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-italian-teenagers-stayed-overnight-at-their-school-they-found-ancient-roman-ruins-hidden-in-the-basement-180988917/Students at a high school in Rome stumbled upon a well-preserved villa that dates to the mid-second century C.E. Eventually, archaeologists hope to open the sprawling space to the publicMon, 08 Jun 2026 20:01:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-italian-teenagers-stayed-overnight-at-their-school-they-found-ancient-roman-ruins-hidden-in-the-basement-180988917/In a First, NASA's Experimental X-59 Plane Flew Faster Than the Speed of Sound, Setting the Stage for 'Quiet' Supersonic Aircrafthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-nasas-experimental-x-59-plane-flew-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound-setting-the-stage-for-quiet-supersonic-aircraft-180988916/The United States banned supersonic flights over its land in 1973 due to their ear-splitting sonic booms. Experts are building a plane that should travel at those speeds but create only gentle thumpsMon, 08 Jun 2026 20:00:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-nasas-experimental-x-59-plane-flew-faster-than-the-speed-of-sound-setting-the-stage-for-quiet-supersonic-aircraft-180988916/Rediscovered Drawings John Lennon Helped Create for the Beatles Became One of Rock ’n’ Roll’s First Music Videoshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rediscovered-drawings-john-lennon-helped-create-for-the-beatles-became-one-of-rock-n-rolls-first-music-videos-180988915/An English collector who acquired ten of the drawings at an auction loaned them to the Liverpool Beatles Museum for a temporary exhibitionMon, 08 Jun 2026 19:33:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rediscovered-drawings-john-lennon-helped-create-for-the-beatles-became-one-of-rock-n-rolls-first-music-videos-180988915/Which Memes Deserve Digital Preservation? See the Online Videos the British Film Institute Selected for a New Archivehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/which-memes-deserve-digital-preservation-see-the-online-videos-the-british-film-institute-selected-for-a-new-archive-180988912/Viral videos, tutorials, vlogs and livestream snippets produced across decades offer insight into modern culture and communication, archivists say. This material could be lost without efforts to save itMon, 08 Jun 2026 18:04:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/which-memes-deserve-digital-preservation-see-the-online-videos-the-british-film-institute-selected-for-a-new-archive-180988912/Meet the 'Witch Croc,' a Strange Ancient Crocodile Relative With Two Legs and No Teeth That Roamed New Mexico During the Triassichttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-witch-croc-a-strange-ancient-crocodile-relative-with-two-legs-and-no-teeth-that-roamed-new-mexico-during-the-triassic-180988909/The reptile, a dinosaur look-alike called a shuvosaur, represents a long-awaited discovery that helps paleontologists fill a gap in the fossil recordMon, 08 Jun 2026 16:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-the-witch-croc-a-strange-ancient-crocodile-relative-with-two-legs-and-no-teeth-that-roamed-new-mexico-during-the-triassic-180988909/This Colorful Parrot Had Been Seen Only Once Over the Past Century. Birders Just Rediscovered It in an Unexplored Indonesian Foresthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-colorful-parakeet-had-been-seen-only-once-over-the-past-century-birders-just-rediscovered-it-in-an-unexplored-indonesian-forest-180988907/First described in the 1920s from seven specimens, the blue-fronted lorikeet hadn't been spotted since 2014. Bird-watchers on a recent trek snapped photos of the rare bird and captured the first known audio recordings of its callsMon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-colorful-parakeet-had-been-seen-only-once-over-the-past-century-birders-just-rediscovered-it-in-an-unexplored-indonesian-forest-180988907/A Shipwreck 'Almost Beyond Belief' Stunned Archaeologists in Norway With Its Cargo of Intact Porcelain Dishes and Luxury Goodshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-almost-beyond-belief-stunned-archaeologists-in-norway-with-its-cargo-of-intact-porcelain-dishes-and-luxury-goods-180988910/So far, archaeologists have recovered 40 artifacts from the discovery, an 18th-century shipwreck that likely will yield thousands more treasuresFri, 05 Jun 2026 22:07:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-almost-beyond-belief-stunned-archaeologists-in-norway-with-its-cargo-of-intact-porcelain-dishes-and-luxury-goods-180988910/The Supermassive Black Hole at the Heart of Our Galaxy Seems to Be Blowing Wind—Just as Scientists Long Theorizedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-supermassive-black-hole-at-the-heart-of-our-galaxy-seems-to-be-blowing-wind-just-as-scientists-long-theorized-180988908/Scientists have been searching for evidence of this breeze since the 1970s. They've seen intense wind from other black holes, but they've struggled to observe the one at the Milky Way's centerFri, 05 Jun 2026 19:34:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-supermassive-black-hole-at-the-heart-of-our-galaxy-seems-to-be-blowing-wind-just-as-scientists-long-theorized-180988908/This Basilica Has Been Rising Above Barcelona for 144 Years. With Its Central Tower Now Complete, Pope Leo XIV Prepares to Visithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sagrada-familia-basilica-has-been-rising-above-barcelona-for-144-years-with-its-central-tower-now-complete-pope-leo-XIV-prepares-to-visit-180988906/When Antoni Gaudí dreamed up his ambitious vision for Sagrada Família, he knew he wouldn't live to see its completion. One hundred years after the architect's death, the tallest tower has reached its peakFri, 05 Jun 2026 19:14:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sagrada-familia-basilica-has-been-rising-above-barcelona-for-144-years-with-its-central-tower-now-complete-pope-leo-XIV-prepares-to-visit-180988906/Catch a Surprising Glimpse at WWII Leader Winston Churchill’s Pastime—Painting—at the First Major British Retrospective Since His Deathhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/catch-a-surprising-glimpse-at-wwii-leader-winston-churchills-pastime-painting-at-the-first-major-british-retrospective-since-his-death-180988905/More than 50 canvases on view in London detail the prime minister’s quieter moments away from wars, speeches and politicsFri, 05 Jun 2026 17:49:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/catch-a-surprising-glimpse-at-wwii-leader-winston-churchills-pastime-painting-at-the-first-major-british-retrospective-since-his-death-180988905/Scientists Have Been Studying Fire Salamanders for More Than 250 Years. They Just Discovered That the Creatures Glow Under UV Lighthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-been-studying-these-salamanders-for-more-than-250-years-they-just-discovered-the-creatures-glow-under-uv-light-180988900/Fire salamanders—one of Europe's most well-researched amphibians—are biofluorescent, which means they can absorb light from an external source at one wavelength, then re-emit it at anotherFri, 05 Jun 2026 15:09:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-have-been-studying-these-salamanders-for-more-than-250-years-they-just-discovered-the-creatures-glow-under-uv-light-180988900/What Determines Royalty Among Honeybees? Not Just a Distinct Diet—Queens Also Need Specially Built Regal Chambers, a Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-determines-royalty-among-honeybees-not-just-a-distinct-diet-queens-also-need-specially-built-regal-chambers-a-study-suggests-180988899/The peanut-shaped compartments where future queens grow up seem to play an important role in development. The wax has chemical and physical differences from that in other parts of the hiveFri, 05 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-determines-royalty-among-honeybees-not-just-a-distinct-diet-queens-also-need-specially-built-regal-chambers-a-study-suggests-180988899/Shipwrecks Discovered Near the Bahamas Tantalize Researchers With Possible Ties to the Real Pirates of the Caribbeanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwrecks-discovered-near-the-bahamas-tantalize-researchers-with-possible-ties-to-the-real-pirates-of-the-caribbean-180988901/A team of archaeologists and filmmakers got permission to dive in the closed zone of the Nassau harbor and discovered six wrecks, including three with suspected ties to the era of piracyFri, 05 Jun 2026 13:43:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shipwrecks-discovered-near-the-bahamas-tantalize-researchers-with-possible-ties-to-the-real-pirates-of-the-caribbean-180988901/See the Rescued and Restored 'Alice in Wonderland' Mural Painted for Sick Children at a New York Hospitalhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rescued-and-restored-alice-in-wonderland-mural-painted-for-sick-children-at-a-new-york-hospital-180988898/Abram Champanier’s "Alice of Wonderland Visiting New York" was a commission from the Federal Art Project, a New Deal program that championed American art in public spacesThu, 04 Jun 2026 20:24:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rescued-and-restored-alice-in-wonderland-mural-painted-for-sick-children-at-a-new-york-hospital-180988898/Scientists Made Sourdough Bread With Yeast Found on Ötzi the Iceman’s Mummified Bodyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-made-sourdough-bread-with-yeast-found-on-otzi-the-icemans-mummified-body-180988894/Discovered in the Alps in 1991, the remains are home to a wide variety of bacteria, fungi and yeastsThu, 04 Jun 2026 19:02:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-made-sourdough-bread-with-yeast-found-on-otzi-the-icemans-mummified-body-180988894/NASA Officially Ends the MAVEN Mission Months After Losing Contact With the Mars Orbiterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-officially-ends-the-maven-mission-months-after-losing-contact-with-the-mars-orbiter-180988897/The agency last heard from the spacecraft on December 6. Recovered fragmentary data suggest that MAVEN was spinning unexpectedly, hinting at a change in its trajectory and draining its batteriesThu, 04 Jun 2026 18:51:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-officially-ends-the-maven-mission-months-after-losing-contact-with-the-mars-orbiter-180988897/George Washington Recorded a Recipe for Beer While Leading a Militia. Thanks to the New York Public Library, You Can Imbibe That History This Summerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/george-washington-recorded-a-recipe-for-beer-while-leading-a-militia-thanks-to-the-new-york-public-library-you-can-imbibe-that-history-this-summer-180988896/To celebrate America's 250th birthday, the library partnered with a brewery to produce the founding father's beer — and an updated version more pleasing to modern palatesThu, 04 Jun 2026 17:20:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/george-washington-recorded-a-recipe-for-beer-while-leading-a-militia-thanks-to-the-new-york-public-library-you-can-imbibe-that-history-this-summer-180988896/Tonga's Enormous Volcanic Eruption Cleaned Up Part of Its Own Methane Emissions in 2022, Hinting at a Way to Fight Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/Researchers analyzed satellite imagery of the volcanic plume and found evidence that the potent greenhouse gas had broken down. The work could inform artificial interventions aiming to mitigate global warming, scientists sayThu, 04 Jun 2026 16:14:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/Glittering Gold Can Stay Shiny for Centuries. Scientists Say They've Figured Out Why the Precious Metal Is So Resistant to Tarnishinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/glittering-gold-can-stay-shiny-for-centuries-scientists-say-theyve-figured-out-why-the-precious-metal-is-so-resistant-to-tarnishing-180988881/When the metal is split, the atoms on its surface rearrange themselves into a very stable pattern that doesn't easily react with oxygen in the air, a study suggestsThu, 04 Jun 2026 15:26:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/glittering-gold-can-stay-shiny-for-centuries-scientists-say-theyve-figured-out-why-the-precious-metal-is-so-resistant-to-tarnishing-180988881/See the 'Spectacular' Gold-and-Gemstone Ring a Roman Likely Buried for Safekeeping 1,700 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-spectacular-gold-and-gemstone-ring-a-roman-likely-buried-for-safekeeping-1700-years-ago-180988891/The ring, discovered in an English field and deemed a "treasure," has ties to a power grab that a military leader made in Roman BritainThu, 04 Jun 2026 15:03:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-spectacular-gold-and-gemstone-ring-a-roman-likely-buried-for-safekeeping-1700-years-ago-180988891/This American Submarine Lost During WWII—Along With 83 Crew Members—Has Been Discovered in the Pacific Oceanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-submarine-USS-Herring-lost-during-WWII-along-with-83-crew-members-has-been-discovered-in-the-pacific-ocean-180988895/The honors-earning USS "Herring" sank in 1944 after taking down Japanese shipsThu, 04 Jun 2026 01:58:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-submarine-USS-Herring-lost-during-WWII-along-with-83-crew-members-has-been-discovered-in-the-pacific-ocean-180988895/Can a Hedgehog Replace Winston Churchill? See Which Animals May Soon Swap In for Historical Figures on British Poundshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-a-hedgehog-replace-winston-churchill-see-which-animals-may-soon-swap-in-for-historical-figures-on-british-pounds-180988890/Butterflies, dolphins and puffins are among the options the public will vote on to grace new bank notesWed, 03 Jun 2026 20:37:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-a-hedgehog-replace-winston-churchill-see-which-animals-may-soon-swap-in-for-historical-figures-on-british-pounds-180988890/Google Wants to Release 32 Million Mosquitoes in California and Florida. Here's Whyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/google-wants-to-release-32-million-mosquitoes-in-california-and-florida-heres-why-180988892/The company is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for permission to release millions of sterilized mosquitoes in order to fight their disease-spreading counterpartsWed, 03 Jun 2026 19:04:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/google-wants-to-release-32-million-mosquitoes-in-california-and-florida-heres-why-180988892/Mathematicians Puzzled Over a Famous Problem for 80 Years. Now, They've Used A.I. to Identify a Clever Solutionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mathematicians-puzzled-over-a-famous-problem-for-80-years-now-theyve-used-ai-to-identify-a-clever-solution-180988889/In 1946, the mathematician Paul Erdős posed the unit distance problem—and suggested a winning strategy. An A.I. model has now landed on a better one. Why didn't humans get there first?Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:14:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mathematicians-puzzled-over-a-famous-problem-for-80-years-now-theyve-used-ai-to-identify-a-clever-solution-180988889/Secrets From Centuries of Paris History Are Emerging From Archaeological Digs After the Notre-Dame Cathedral Firehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/secrets-from-centuries-of-paris-history-are-emerging-from-archaeological-digs-after-the-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-180988886/Ahead of planned redevelopment around the iconic Gothic landmark, researchers are digging into the city’s past, through medieval and Roman layersWed, 03 Jun 2026 14:13:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/secrets-from-centuries-of-paris-history-are-emerging-from-archaeological-digs-after-the-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-180988886/Archaeologists Excavating a Monastery in Spain Identified the Remains of a 14th-Century Queen—and Multiple Skeletons Buried in the Wrong Graveshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-monastery-in-spain-identified-the-remains-of-a-14th-century-queen-and-multiple-skeletons-buried-in-the-wrong-graves-180988877/The tomb of Elisenda of Montcada has long fascinated experts. But the team was surprised to learn that burials supposedly belonging to a medieval knight and abbess held entirely different individualsWed, 03 Jun 2026 13:01:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-excavating-a-monastery-in-spain-identified-the-remains-of-a-14th-century-queen-and-multiple-skeletons-buried-in-the-wrong-graves-180988877/How Do Pigeons Find Their Way Home? New Research Suggests That the Birds' Remarkable Navigational Skills Come From Their Livershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-pigeons-find-their-way-home-new-research-suggests-the-birds-remarkable-navigational-skills-come-from-their-livers-180988884/The birds might use the organs' iron-rich immune cells as internal compasses on overcast days, when they must rely on Earth’s magnetic field, instead of the sun’s light cues, for navigationTue, 02 Jun 2026 21:21:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-pigeons-find-their-way-home-new-research-suggests-the-birds-remarkable-navigational-skills-come-from-their-livers-180988884/A Century After Causing Controversy, Red Cave Markings in Wales Are Classified Again as Britain's Oldest Rock Arthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-century-after-causing-controversy-red-cave-markings-in-wales-are-classified-again-as-britains-oldest-rock-art-180988879/The team of scientists used modern dating methods to confirm an old hypothesis by the rock art’s initial discoverersTue, 02 Jun 2026 20:59:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-century-after-causing-controversy-red-cave-markings-in-wales-are-classified-again-as-britains-oldest-rock-art-180988879/Scientists Say They've Discovered 'Little Lab Zombies'—Seemingly Immortal Tissue Taken From Sea Cucumbershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-theyve-discovered-little-lab-zombies-seemingly-immortal-tissue-taken-from-sea-cucumbers-180988880/Chunks removed from the marine creatures more than three years ago haven't degraded and show signs of biological activity, raising questions about what it means to be aliveTue, 02 Jun 2026 19:56:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-say-theyve-discovered-little-lab-zombies-seemingly-immortal-tissue-taken-from-sea-cucumbers-180988880/Someone Stole a Banana Duct-Taped to the Wall of a French Museum. One of Its Duplicates Fetched More Than $6 Million at Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/someone-stole-a-banana-duct-taped-to-the-wall-of-a-french-museum-one-of-its-twins-fetched-more-than-6-million-at-auction-180988878/This isn't the first time the fruit at the center of the infamous "Comedian" art piece has been stolen or eatenTue, 02 Jun 2026 17:43:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/someone-stole-a-banana-duct-taped-to-the-wall-of-a-french-museum-one-of-its-twins-fetched-more-than-6-million-at-auction-180988878/These Experimental Ebola Treatments and Vaccines Might Help Slow the Outbreak Spreading in Congo and Uganda, WHO Sayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-experimental-ebola-treatments-and-vaccines-might-help-slow-the-outbreak-spreading-in-the-congo-and-uganda-who-says-180988872/No approved therapeutics exist for the virus species causing the outbreak, which has been associated with more than 1,000 cases of Ebola. The World Health Organization has identified several therapeutics to test in clinical trials in the coming monthsTue, 02 Jun 2026 16:11:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-experimental-ebola-treatments-and-vaccines-might-help-slow-the-outbreak-spreading-in-the-congo-and-uganda-who-says-180988872/Did Human Ancestors Walk on Their Knuckles Like Today's Chimpanzees? New Research Adds More Evidence to the Debatehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-human-ancestors-walk-on-their-knuckles-like-todays-chimpanzees-new-research-adds-more-evidence-to-the-debate-180988876/After investigating thousands of wrist bones, scientists suspect the last common ancestor species of humans and chimpanzees may have navigated the world on its knucklesTue, 02 Jun 2026 15:36:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-human-ancestors-walk-on-their-knuckles-like-todays-chimpanzees-new-research-adds-more-evidence-to-the-debate-180988876/'Playful Youngster': See the Rare, Endangered Przewalski's Horse Born at the Bronx Zoohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/playful-youngster-see-the-rare-endangered-przewalskis-horse-born-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988873/The foal was born on April 21 and is now romping around with the rest of the herd in the zoo's seasonal Wild Asia Monorail exhibit. It belongs to a species whose members are often considered the last truly wild horsesMon, 01 Jun 2026 21:32:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/playful-youngster-see-the-rare-endangered-przewalskis-horse-born-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988873/The Gouged-Out Testicles of This Bull Mosaic in Italy Are Just Two More Victims of Tourists Abusing Monuments for Luckhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-gouged-out-testicles-of-this-bull-mosaic-in-italy-are-just-two-more-victims-of-tourists-abusing-monuments-for-luck-180988870/It's common for visitors to touch intimate areas portrayed in artworks, but the phenomenon puts cultural icons at riskMon, 01 Jun 2026 19:31:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-gouged-out-testicles-of-this-bull-mosaic-in-italy-are-just-two-more-victims-of-tourists-abusing-monuments-for-luck-180988870/A Bright Meteor Lit Up the New England Sky Before Exploding With a Loud Boom—and Its Pieces May Have Landed in Cape Cod Bayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bright-meteor-lit-up-the-new-england-sky-before-exploding-with-a-loud-boom-and-its-pieces-may-have-landed-in-cape-cod-bay-180988869/People reported seeing the glowing space rock or hearing or feeling its breakup from Delaware to Montreal. Experts estimate that it was about three feet wide and traveling at 75,000 miles per hour when it broke apartMon, 01 Jun 2026 18:44:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bright-meteor-lit-up-the-new-england-sky-before-exploding-with-a-loud-boom-and-its-pieces-may-have-landed-in-cape-cod-bay-180988869/Asphalt Is the Canvas for This Year's World Street Painting Festival in Joplin, Missouri, Which Honors 100 Years of Route 66https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asphalt-is-the-canvas-for-this-years-world-street-painting-festival-in-joplin-missouri-which-honors-100-years-of-route-66-180988868/Immersive paintings, which function as massive optical illusions, pay tribute to the "Mother Road" and its influence on American cultureMon, 01 Jun 2026 17:30:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asphalt-is-the-canvas-for-this-years-world-street-painting-festival-in-joplin-missouri-which-honors-100-years-of-route-66-180988868/Could Bug Spray Attract Mosquitoes? Lab Insects Learned That the Smell of DEET Would Lead Them to a Tasty Treathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-bug-spray-attract-mosquitoes-lab-insects-learned-that-the-smell-of-deet-would-lead-them-to-a-tasty-treat-180988866/Researchers don't know how the findings might overlap with real-world settings. But the discovery suggests that we're most vulnerable when our insect repellent is wearing off, meaning we should reapply it regularlyMon, 01 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-bug-spray-attract-mosquitoes-lab-insects-learned-that-the-smell-of-deet-would-lead-them-to-a-tasty-treat-180988866/Korean and French Culture Are Set to Rendezvous at a New Museum in Seoul for Modern and Contemporary Arthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/korean-and-french-culture-are-set-to-rendezvous-at-a-new-museum-in-seoul-for-modern-and-contemporary-art-180988864/The Centre Pompidou Hanwha, the newest member of a growing global network of art museums, will debut with an exhibition on European cubism and Korean artSun, 31 May 2026 19:01:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/korean-and-french-culture-are-set-to-rendezvous-at-a-new-museum-in-seoul-for-modern-and-contemporary-art-180988864/Four Rare Guam Kingfisher Chicks Hatch at Virginia Facility, Making an 'Incredibly Valuable' Addition to the Small Population of Extinct-in-the-Wild Birdshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-rare-guam-kingfisher-chicks-hatch-at-virginia-facility-making-an-incredibly-valuable-addition-to-the-small-population-of-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-180988863/The species, also known as the sihek, was wiped out from its native Guam and kept alive in captivity. Conservationists released some birds on Palmyra Atoll in 2024, and they have been thriving so farFri, 29 May 2026 21:00:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-rare-guam-kingfisher-chicks-hatch-at-virginia-facility-making-an-incredibly-valuable-addition-to-the-small-population-of-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-180988863/These 600-Year-Old Chinese Surgical Instruments Are Coated in an Early Local Anesthetic—Carefully Extracted From a Poisonous Planthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-600-year-old-chinese-surgical-instruments-are-coated-in-an-early-local-anestheticcarefully-extracted-from-a-poisonous-plant-180988865/Researchers say the numbing agent splashed onto iron scissors and tweezers during a procedure. They were found in a Ming dynasty doctor's tombFri, 29 May 2026 20:15:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-600-year-old-chinese-surgical-instruments-are-coated-in-an-early-local-anestheticcarefully-extracted-from-a-poisonous-plant-180988865/Happy, an Asian Elephant Who Demonstrated That Her Species Might Be Self-Aware, Dies at 55 at the Bronx Zoohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/happy-an-asian-elephant-who-demonstrated-that-her-species-might-be-self-aware-dies-at-55-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988861/In research reported about 20 years ago, Happy appeared to recognize herself in a mirror. She was later the subject of a failed lawsuit claiming that elephants should have certain fundamental human rightsFri, 29 May 2026 18:23:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/happy-an-asian-elephant-who-demonstrated-that-her-species-might-be-self-aware-dies-at-55-at-the-bronx-zoo-180988861/Using Colorful Dog Kibble, Artists Turn 'Mona Lisa,' 'The Scream' and 'The Kiss' Into Museum Masterpieces That Man's Best Friend Can Appreciatehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/using-colorful-kibble-artists-turn-mona-lisa-the-scream-and-the-kiss-into-museum-masterpieces-that-mans-best-friend-can-appreciate-180988860/Sisters from New Jersey spent two months recreating famous artworks while also making sure their dog didn’t get into the edible art suppliesFri, 29 May 2026 18:16:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/using-colorful-kibble-artists-turn-mona-lisa-the-scream-and-the-kiss-into-museum-masterpieces-that-mans-best-friend-can-appreciate-180988860/Meet Hilma af Klint, the Occultist Who Believed Otherworldly Spirits Told Her What to Paint. Now, She's Considered One of History's First Abstract Artistshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/The Swedish painter created bold, vibrant works as early as 1906—several years before contemporaries like Wassily Kandinsky. A new exhibition in France celebrates her sweeping "Paintings for the Temple" seriesFri, 29 May 2026 16:08:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/Tyrannosaurus Rex and Other Terrifying Predatory Dinosaurs Had Itty-Bitty Arms. Scientists May Have Finally Figured Out Whyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-and-other-terrifying-predatory-dinosaurs-had-itty-bitty-arms-scientists-may-have-finally-figured-out-why-180988803/A new study suggests that certain theropods—two-legged, mostly meat-eating dinosaurs—had shrunken forelimbs as an evolutionary trade-off for their strong skullsFri, 29 May 2026 15:53:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tyrannosaurus-rex-and-other-terrifying-predatory-dinosaurs-had-itty-bitty-arms-scientists-may-have-finally-figured-out-why-180988803/See the New Quarter Honoring Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence That Enters Circulation Next Week, Ahead of America’s 250th Birthdayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/The design is one of several coin denominations, and the third of five new quarters, made specially for the country’s semiquincentennialFri, 29 May 2026 15:46:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/Pigeon Bones Found at an Ancient Cyprus Settlement Reveal That Our Relationship With These Birds Began Earlier Than We Thoughthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pigeon-bones-found-at-an-ancient-cyprus-settlement-reveal-that-our-relationship-with-these-birds-began-earlier-than-we-thought-180988791/Before common pigeons were considered urban pests, people domesticated them and relied on them for meat, fertilizer, messages and more. A new study suggests humans have lived alongside the winged creatures for at least 3,400 yearsFri, 29 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pigeon-bones-found-at-an-ancient-cyprus-settlement-reveal-that-our-relationship-with-these-birds-began-earlier-than-we-thought-180988791/Ona Judge Escaped From Slavery While George Washington Was Busy Eating Dinner Inside. Now, a New Mural Honors Her Legacyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/The artwork in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, shows Judge arriving in the city after her journey from Philadelphia in May 1796. She remained a free woman until her death in 1848Thu, 28 May 2026 20:07:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/A Smaller Than Usual Blue Moon Will End the Month With a Lunar Spectacle. Here's What to Know About the Full Micromoonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-smaller-than-usual-blue-moon-will-end-the-month-with-a-lunar-spectacle-heres-what-to-know-about-the-full-micromoon-180988854/The blue moon will be the second of two full moons in the same month, a coincidence that only takes place about every two and a half years. It will also appear to be slightly smaller and dimmer than the average full moonThu, 28 May 2026 19:40:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-smaller-than-usual-blue-moon-will-end-the-month-with-a-lunar-spectacle-heres-what-to-know-about-the-full-micromoon-180988854/No Mere Muse, This Influential Surrealist Artist and Feminist Gets Her Due in a New Biopic and Art Exhibitionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leonora-carrington-is-no-mere-muse-this-influential-surrealist-artist-and-feminist-gets-her-due-in-a-new-biopic-and-art-exhibitions-180988844/Leonora Carrington's life and work are celebrated with the new film "Leonora in the Morning Light." Meanwhile, an exhibition at the Freud Museum showcases for the first time artwork she created inside a psychiatric hospitalThu, 28 May 2026 19:26:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/leonora-carrington-is-no-mere-muse-this-influential-surrealist-artist-and-feminist-gets-her-due-in-a-new-biopic-and-art-exhibitions-180988844/Giant, Destructive Hail Is Becoming More Common With Climate Change, Study Sayshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-destructive-hail-is-becoming-more-common-with-climate-change-study-says-180988849/As the atmosphere warms, the potential for hail as large as a grapefruit is growingThu, 28 May 2026 19:02:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/giant-destructive-hail-is-becoming-more-common-with-climate-change-study-says-180988849/England's Most Famous Naked Giant Will Glow White Again, Thanks to Help From Hundreds of People Performing a Ritual of Restorationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/englands-most-famous-naked-giant-will-glow-white-again-thanks-to-help-from-hundreds-of-people-performing-a-ritual-of-restoration-180988848/The Cerne Abbas Giant, a 180-foot-tall geoglyph in southern England, is getting a new layer of chalkThu, 28 May 2026 18:09:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/englands-most-famous-naked-giant-will-glow-white-again-thanks-to-help-from-hundreds-of-people-performing-a-ritual-of-restoration-180988848/Young Blue Crabs Have Been Mysteriously Dwindling in the Chesapeake Bay for Years. This Winter, They Saw a Boost in Numbers. What’s Driving These Trends?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/young-blue-crabs-have-been-mysteriously-dwindling-in-the-chesapeake-bay-for-years-this-winter-they-saw-a-boost-in-numbers-whats-driving-these-trends-180988839/A recent report detailed a 50 percent drop in juvenile Chesapeake blue crabs since 2010. Then, a survey found a surprising surge in the young crustaceans this yearThu, 28 May 2026 15:10:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/young-blue-crabs-have-been-mysteriously-dwindling-in-the-chesapeake-bay-for-years-this-winter-they-saw-a-boost-in-numbers-whats-driving-these-trends-180988839/How Do You Honor a Fallen Tree? In England, a Sound Sculpture Will Broadcast the 'Voice' of a Beloved Sycamore Felled Near Hadrian’s Wallhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-honor-a-fallen-tree-in-england-a-sound-sculpture-will-broadcast-the-voice-of-a-beloved-sycamore-felled-near-hadrians-wall-180988832/"The People’s Tree" will also incorporate the tree's wood and archive recordings from the public in a series of community artworksWed, 27 May 2026 20:51:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-honor-a-fallen-tree-in-england-a-sound-sculpture-will-broadcast-the-voice-of-a-beloved-sycamore-felled-near-hadrians-wall-180988832/NASA Unveils New Details About the Future Moon Base and the Missions Laying the Groundwork to Build Ithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/The first three missions are targeted to launch this year. They’ll involve lunar landers developed by several aerospace companies, including Blue Origin, and deliver scientific instruments and a roverWed, 27 May 2026 20:47:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/See the Stunning Medieval Manuscript Telling Tales of King Arthur, in Ink and Polished Gold, That's Headed to Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-medieval-manuscript-telling-tales-of-king-arthur-in-ink-and-polished-gold-thats-headed-to-auction-180988835/The manuscript was made by a skilled, anonymous artist between 1290 and 1310. It's the oldest of only three privately owned Vulgate Cycle manuscriptsWed, 27 May 2026 19:29:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-medieval-manuscript-telling-tales-of-king-arthur-in-ink-and-polished-gold-thats-headed-to-auction-180988835/In 1776, Angry New Yorkers Tore Down a Statue of George III With a Revolutionary Fervor. A New Exhibition Lets You Do It, Toohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/New York City played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. This museum brings the city's 18th-century history to life through artifacts, immersive environments and interactive experiencesWed, 27 May 2026 19:00:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/An Illuminating New Museum Hidden Beneath the Lincoln Memorial Is Set to Open to the Public. Here's What You Can Expecthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-illuminating-new-museum-hidden-beneath-the-lincoln-memorial-is-set-to-open-to-the-public-heres-what-you-can-expect-180988831/Tickets for the Lincoln Memorial undercroft museum are now available to reserve. When the attraction opens on June 25, visitors will get to see the D.C. landmark from a whole new perspectiveWed, 27 May 2026 17:21:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-illuminating-new-museum-hidden-beneath-the-lincoln-memorial-is-set-to-open-to-the-public-heres-what-you-can-expect-180988831/Scientists Used A.I. to Redesign a Microbe's Machinery to Function Without a Key Ingredient of Lifehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-to-redesign-a-microbes-machinery-to-function-without-a-key-ingredient-of-life-180988802/Although the researchers did not create an entire cell that could function without a crucial building block, the findings represent a big step in synthetic biology and provide a glimpse at how Earth’s earliest organisms may have livedWed, 27 May 2026 15:46:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-to-redesign-a-microbes-machinery-to-function-without-a-key-ingredient-of-life-180988802/Daddy Longlegs Seem to Hunt Frogs in South America, Revealing the Gangly Arachnids as Overlooked Predatorshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/A new study suggests that harvestmen actively attack the slippery amphibians, rather than just scavenging them. The findings hint that the spineless creatures have a more complex relationship with vertebrates than previously thoughtWed, 27 May 2026 13:00:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/A Shipwreck, but Make It Fashion: Researchers Transformed Wooden Fragments From a 17th-Century Shipwreck Into a Pair of Stylish Maxi Dresseshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/Scientists at Aalto University in Finland saved pieces of the Hahtiperä wreck and turned them into textile fibersTue, 26 May 2026 21:20:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/Scientists Detect an Elusive Giant Squid and Many Other Surprising Marine Animals Near Western Australia Thanks to DNA in the Waterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/Mucus, feces, skin and other shed tissue allowed researchers to investigate which creatures have been swimming in two deep-sea canyons without having to observe or catch themTue, 26 May 2026 20:31:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/A 4,500-Year-Old Neolithic Hall Replica Rises at Stonehenge as Archaeologists and Volunteers Build With Prehistoric Tools and Techniqueshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-4500-year-old-neolithic-hall-replica-rises-at-stonehenge-as-archaeologists-and-volunteers-build-with-prehistoric-tools-and-techniques-180988806/The reconstruction of a prehistoric building, likely originally a place for winter feasts at the nearby Durrington Walls site, will serve as a learning space for studentsTue, 26 May 2026 20:29:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-4500-year-old-neolithic-hall-replica-rises-at-stonehenge-as-archaeologists-and-volunteers-build-with-prehistoric-tools-and-techniques-180988806/A Sudden Landslide Triggered Alaska's 2025 'Mega-Tsunami.' Now, Scientists Have Identified Warning Signs to Predict Similar Eventshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-landslide-triggered-alaskas-2025-mega-tsunami-now-scientists-have-identified-warning-signs-to-predict-similar-events-180988797/Natural disasters like the one at Tracy Arm fjord, about 45 miles south of Juneau, could become more common as climate change alters frigid landscapes, according to researchersTue, 26 May 2026 18:23:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-landslide-triggered-alaskas-2025-mega-tsunami-now-scientists-have-identified-warning-signs-to-predict-similar-events-180988797/Whistler Didn't Mean to Make His Mourning Mother an Art World Star. Today, She's a Highlight at a Major Exhibition in Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/Officially titled 'Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1,' James McNeill Whistler’s stoic portrait of his mother has come to define the artist’s style and legacy. The artwork is currently on display in the same city where it was painted more than 150 years agoTue, 26 May 2026 17:56:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/The Mere Presence of Humans—Not Just Our Changes to the Land—Can Alter Wild Animals' Behaviors, a New Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/Researchers examined GPS tracking data from thousands of animals representing 37 species and anonymized cellphone location data from 2020, a year of Covid-19 lockdowns, and the previous yearTue, 26 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/An Underwater Robot Explores the Hidden 'Shipwreck City' Beneath the Surface of This Popular Urban Lake in the Pacific Northwesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/Using a remotely operated vehicle, researchers are exploring a long-overlooked piece of Seattle’s maritime historyFri, 22 May 2026 21:25:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/Paleontologists Discover an Ancient Marine Reptile They've Dubbed the T. Rex of the Sea, Crowning Another King of the Cretaceoushttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paleontologists-discover-an-ancient-marine-reptile-theyve-dubbed-the-t-rex-of-the-sea-crowning-another-king-of-the-cretaceous-180988792/Scientists figured out that the predators were lumped in with a previously named mosasaur species. The new one, called Tylosaurus rex, could grow to 43 feet long, about the length of a school busFri, 22 May 2026 21:00:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paleontologists-discover-an-ancient-marine-reptile-theyve-dubbed-the-t-rex-of-the-sea-crowning-another-king-of-the-cretaceous-180988792/To Mark America's 250th Birthday, See the Country's 'Most Endangered Historic Places' You've Probably Never Heard Ofhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-mark-americas-250th-birthday-see-the-countrys-most-endangered-places-that-youve-probably-never-heard-of-180988789/From a Revolutionary War battlefield to a civil rights-era safe haven, these historic sites are at risk, according to the latest list from the National Trust for Historic PreservationFri, 22 May 2026 20:20:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-mark-americas-250th-birthday-see-the-countrys-most-endangered-places-that-youve-probably-never-heard-of-180988789/See NASA's Stunning New Images of Mars Captured During an Asteroid-Bound Spacecraft's Strategic Flybyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nasas-stunning-new-images-of-mars-captured-during-an-asteroid-bound-spacecrafts-strategic-flyby-180988788/The Psyche mission, on its way to study an asteroid of the same name, approached within 2,864 miles of the red planet on May 15Fri, 22 May 2026 20:14:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nasas-stunning-new-images-of-mars-captured-during-an-asteroid-bound-spacecrafts-strategic-flyby-180988788/What Did Jackson Pollock Hope to Accomplish With This Dizzying Drip Painting, Which Just Sold for a Record-Breaking $181 Million?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/The Abstract Expressionist is best known for his action paintings, which emphasized the movements of the artist's body during the creative process. "Number 7A, 1948" is now his most expensive work ever auctionedFri, 22 May 2026 19:51:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/Ancient Egyptian Engineering Choices Helped the Great Pyramid of Giza Survive Earthquakes, New Research Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-engineering-choices-helped-the-great-pyramid-of-giza-survive-earthquakes-new-research-finds-180988790/Researchers measured vibrations inside and around the pyramid to learn that the structure is surprisingly resilient against seismic tremorsFri, 22 May 2026 18:25:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-engineering-choices-helped-the-great-pyramid-of-giza-survive-earthquakes-new-research-finds-180988790/This Pill Can Prevent You From Getting Covid-19 After Exposure to the Disease-Causing Virus, According to a Clinical Trialhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/The drug showed promising results in an international study involving nearly 2,400 participants, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make an approval decision for it in JuneFri, 22 May 2026 17:53:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/Belugas Can Recognize Themselves in Mirrors, Joining a Short List of Nonhuman Species That Show Signs of Self-Awarenesshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/belugas-can-recognize-themselves-in-mirrors-joining-a-short-list-of-non-human-species-that-show-signs-of-self-awareness-180988783/The researchers hope that this new understanding of cognition in the toothed whales will increase human empathy and concern for the animals, leading to more efforts to protect themFri, 22 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/belugas-can-recognize-themselves-in-mirrors-joining-a-short-list-of-non-human-species-that-show-signs-of-self-awareness-180988783/Whalers Didn’t Just Sing Sea Shanties and Seek Adventure. Proof of Laborers' Grueling Work Is in Their Skeletons, Buried in the Arctichttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whalers-didnt-just-sing-sea-shanties-and-seek-adventure-proof-of-laborers-grueling-work-is-in-their-skeletons-buried-in-the-arctic-180988787/Remains buried on Svalbard show the brutal toll whaling took on men in the 17th and 18th centuries. Climate change threatens these kinds of archaeological sites across the ArcticThu, 21 May 2026 21:36:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whalers-didnt-just-sing-sea-shanties-and-seek-adventure-proof-of-laborers-grueling-work-is-in-their-skeletons-buried-in-the-arctic-180988787/Neptune's Moon Nereid Might Be the Sole Intact Survivor of an Ancient Lunar Collisionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neptunes-moon-nereid-might-be-the-sole-intact-survivor-of-an-ancient-lunar-collision-180988785/A study suggests that the ice giant's largest moon, Triton, made a dramatic entrance to the Neptunian system long ago, kicking Nereid outward and destroying the planet's other original lunar companionsThu, 21 May 2026 20:16:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neptunes-moon-nereid-might-be-the-sole-intact-survivor-of-an-ancient-lunar-collision-180988785/The Oldest Bridge in Paris Was Swallowed Overnight by a Giant, Inflatable Cave in the Latest Artwork by the ‘French Banksy’https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-oldest-bridge-in-paris-was-swallowed-overnight-by-a-giant-inflatable-cave-in-latest-artwork-by-the-french-banksy-180988781/French street artist JR chose the Pont Neuf bridge as the canvas for his latest larger-than-life art installation, created with audio accompaniment by a Daft Punk musicianThu, 21 May 2026 19:04:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-oldest-bridge-in-paris-was-swallowed-overnight-by-a-giant-inflatable-cave-in-latest-artwork-by-the-french-banksy-180988781/As ‘Survivor’ Finishes Its 50th Season, the Smithsonian Acquires the Sought-After Immunity Necklace and Other Props From the Iconic Reality TV Showhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/Items from the first and most recent seasons of the hit program will be added to the permanent collection of the National Museum of American HistoryThu, 21 May 2026 17:38:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/Why Is Nearly Every Person Right-Handed—but Not Every Ape and Monkey? New Research Explores the Evolutionary Origins of Human Handednesshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/Brain size and bipedalism are the most likely drivers of our species’ right-hand dominance, according to new researchThu, 21 May 2026 16:28:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/Who Are the Owners of These Nazi-Looted Masterpieces—and Could Displaying Them at One of France's Most Popular Museums Help Track Them Down?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/A new permanent display at the Musée d’Orsay showcases artworks that may have been stolen or sold under suspicious circumstances during World War II. Officials are still hoping to find the families of their rightful ownersThu, 21 May 2026 15:02:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/Groundbreaking DNA Analysis Identifies 1.3 Million Living Relatives of Colonial Maryland's Earliest Settlershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/Experts compared DNA from 49 skeletons buried in a cemetery in St. Mary's City to genetic data shared by 11.5 million 23andMe users. They also identified what may be the remains of the colony's second governorThu, 21 May 2026 14:49:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/Mediterranean Monk Seals Hide in Underwater 'Bubble Caves' to Avoid Tourists During the Busy Summer Season, a Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mediterranean-monk-seals-hide-in-underwater-bubble-caves-to-avoid-tourists-during-the-busy-summer-season-a-study-suggests-180988775/Researchers caught the rare pinnipeds resting and sleeping in a secluded chamber on the Greek islet of Formicula. The findings suggest that these small caves should be included in efforts to protect the animals' habitatThu, 21 May 2026 14:40:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mediterranean-monk-seals-hide-in-underwater-bubble-caves-to-avoid-tourists-during-the-busy-summer-season-a-study-suggests-180988775/This Canadian Mine Might Release Enough Natural Hydrogen Each Year to Power 400 Homes, Hinting at an Untapped Source of Clean Energyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-canadian-mine-might-release-enough-natural-hydrogen-each-year-to-power-400-homes-hinting-at-an-untapped-source-of-clean-energy-180988773/Many of the country's metal mines are embedded in an ancient rock formation that probably also houses a lot of the resource, referred to as "white hydrogen"Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-canadian-mine-might-release-enough-natural-hydrogen-each-year-to-power-400-homes-hinting-at-an-untapped-source-of-clean-energy-180988773/A Discovered Trove of Bones and Teeth Yields New Clues to the Century-Old Mystery of 'Death Jars' in Laoshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-discovered-trove-of-bones-and-teeth-yields-new-clues-to-the-century-old-mystery-of-death-jars-in-laos-180988772/Scientists found bones of 37 people inside a giant stone jar at one of Southeast Asia’s most puzzling archaeological sites. The find suggests a multigenerational burial practiceWed, 20 May 2026 21:08:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-discovered-trove-of-bones-and-teeth-yields-new-clues-to-the-century-old-mystery-of-death-jars-in-laos-180988772/From a Medieval Latrine in Germany, Archaeologists Extracted a Pristine Leather Notebook That Preserved Latin Cursive for Centurieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-a-medieval-latrine-in-germany-archaeologists-extracted-a-pristine-leather-notebook-that-preserved-latin-cursive-for-centuries-180988771/The writing in the booklet suggests it belonged to an upper-class merchant, who may have had a mishap while using the toilet 800 years agoWed, 20 May 2026 19:11:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-a-medieval-latrine-in-germany-archaeologists-extracted-a-pristine-leather-notebook-that-preserved-latin-cursive-for-centuries-180988771/Gentoo Penguins Are Actually Four Different Species, Scientists Say, Revealing They're Not Quite 'Winners' of Climate Change After Allhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/A new study indicates that the adaptable birds evolved into distinct lineages as isolated populations shifted to match their environmental conditions over time. The work has implications for how conservationists assess threats to gentoosWed, 20 May 2026 19:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/When Did Crabs Evolve Their Iconic Sideways Scuttle? Scientists Traced It to a Common Ancestor That Lived 200 Million Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/The findings suggest that their famous lateral movement evolved just once. It may have helped the animals rapidly spread and diversify because moving in two directions meant they could easily escape predatorsWed, 20 May 2026 15:57:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/Regularly Wearing a Cooling Vest Might Help You Lose Body Fat, According to a New Studyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/Participants who were overweight or living with obesity wore the accessories for two hours every morning for six weeks and lost an average of two pounds. The researchers suspect showering or swimming in frigid water could have similar effectsWed, 20 May 2026 13:11:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/Likely Kicked by a Kangaroo, This Dingo Healed a Millennium Ago Thanks to Help From an Aboriginal Community That Continued to Honor It for 500 Yearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/likely-kicked-by-a-kangaroo-this-dingo-healed-a-millennium-ago-thanks-to-help-from-an-aboriginal-community-that-continued-to-honor-it-for-500-years-180988768/New research shows that the ancestors of the Barkindji people in Australia ritually added river mussel shells to a burial site for centuries after the dingo died, suggesting they cared for it deeplyTue, 19 May 2026 21:06:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/likely-kicked-by-a-kangaroo-this-dingo-healed-a-millennium-ago-thanks-to-help-from-an-aboriginal-community-that-continued-to-honor-it-for-500-years-180988768/The Bayeux Tapestry Takes a Journey for a Fresh Perspective as the British Museum Prepares to Lay the Masterpiece Out Flathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-bayeux-tapestry-takes-a-journey-for-a-fresh-perspective-as-the-british-museum-prepares-to-lay-the-masterpiece-out-flat-180988764/After spending centuries in France, the 1,000-year-old tapestry depicting the Norman Conquest of England is traveling to its home countryTue, 19 May 2026 20:09:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-bayeux-tapestry-takes-a-journey-for-a-fresh-perspective-as-the-british-museum-prepares-to-lay-the-masterpiece-out-flat-180988764/'De-Extinction' Company Says It Hatched Chicks From Artificial Eggs, Paving the Way for Resurrecting Dodos and Other Bygone Birdshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/Colossal Biosciences announced that 26 live baby chickens have emerged from 3D-printed honeycomb structures. But the company does not plan to detail the system in a paper, and its mission has faced criticismTue, 19 May 2026 20:09:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/Why Was This Ancient Roman Soldier's Gravestone Hidden in a Louisiana Backyard? Archaeologists Solved the Mystery—and Helped Return the Artifact to Italyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/The funerary marker, which surfaced on a New Orleans property last year, once belonged to a Roman soldier who died nearly 2,000 years ago. Officials repatriated the stone in a recent ceremony in RomeTue, 19 May 2026 18:30:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/'Mona Lisa' Is Moving to a New Home. The Louvre Just Announced the Architects Who Will Design Her Private Suitehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/Visitors will be able to view Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece without touring the rest of the Louvre, and visitor traffic at the museum will be able to grow by three million people annuallyTue, 19 May 2026 18:27:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/These Ten Breathtaking Images From the 2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year Contest Capture the Beauty of Our Galaxyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ten-breathtaking-images-from-the-2026-milky-way-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capture-the-beauty-of-our-galaxy-180988755/The gorgeous astrophotographs highlight the dazzling night sky and remind viewers what we risk losing to light pollutionTue, 19 May 2026 16:03:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ten-breathtaking-images-from-the-2026-milky-way-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capture-the-beauty-of-our-galaxy-180988755/Millions of Bright Blue Blobs Called 'By-the-Wind Sailors' Are Littering Beaches Along the West Coasthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/The strange creatures are washing up on shores across California, Oregon and Washington this spring—and making the coast smell especially fishyTue, 19 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/Want to Avoid Having a Picky Eater? Start Exposing Your Kids to Veggies Super Early—in the Wombhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/In a new study, 3-year-olds who were repeatedly exposed to the taste of bitter kale as fetuses appeared to be less averse to the leafy greens' scent than they were to a food smell they hadn't experienced in uteroTue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/A Woman Buried in an Elaborate Roman Coffin With Precious Grave Goods Was 'Clearly Cherished by Her Family and Her Community,' Archaeologists Sayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-woman-buried-in-an-elaborate-roman-coffin-with-precious-grave-goods-was-clearly-cherished-by-her-family-and-her-community-archaeologists-say-180988760/A new exhibition in Colchester, England, site of the first capital of Roman Britain, explores the "Lexden Lady" and her collection of treasuresTue, 19 May 2026 13:41:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-woman-buried-in-an-elaborate-roman-coffin-with-precious-grave-goods-was-clearly-cherished-by-her-family-and-her-community-archaeologists-say-180988760/Stunning Frescoes in This Madrid Church Received a Facelift—But the Spanish Artist Buried Beneath Them Is Still Missing His Headhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/Goya's frescoes are given new life in a church in Spain that also serves as the final resting place for most of the artist's body. The mystery of his missing skull has inspired poems and artworksMon, 18 May 2026 20:10:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/The Ebola Outbreak in Africa Was Declared a Global Health Emergency by the WHO. Here's What to Know About the Rare but Severe Illnesshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/The international health agency notes that the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the risk to the American public is lowMon, 18 May 2026 19:16:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/This Photographer Was Famous for Snapping Celebrities Like Marilyn Monroe, But His Images of Vietnam War Victims and Coal Miners Revealed the Surprising Power of Portraitshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/A new documentary about photographer Richard Avedon, directed by Ron Howard and debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, uses archival footage and contemporary interviews to weave the story of just how far his influence extendsMon, 18 May 2026 18:46:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/A Dimpled Koala Fossil Found in a Cave in Western Australia Revealed Why This Previously Unknown Species Went Extincthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dimpled-koala-fossil-found-western-australia-revealed-why-previously-unknown-species-died-out-180988719/The new study found that they lost their arboreal habitat due to a drying climate, a dire warning for the modern-day marsupials that face a similar threatMon, 18 May 2026 18:17:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dimpled-koala-fossil-found-western-australia-revealed-why-previously-unknown-species-died-out-180988719/Can Insects Feel Pain? New Research Suggests That Crickets Dohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-insects-feel-pain-new-research-suggests-that-crickets-do-180988752/Used for food, feed and research, the critters are among the most widely farmed bugs. The study authors say humans should work to reduce harm in insect farming, handling and experimentationMon, 18 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-insects-feel-pain-new-research-suggests-that-crickets-do-180988752/These Colorful Contemporary Artworks Join the Hirshhorn Museum's Collection as the D.C. Landmark Continues to Celebrate Its 50th Anniversaryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-colorful-contemporary-artworks-just-joined-the-hirshhorn-museum-as-the-dc-landmark-celebrated-its-50th-anniversary-180988749/The museum is also preparing to reopen its redesigned sculpture garden, featuring new works from eight artists, this fallMon, 18 May 2026 15:00:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-colorful-contemporary-artworks-just-joined-the-hirshhorn-museum-as-the-dc-landmark-celebrated-its-50th-anniversary-180988749/Humpback Whales Sometimes Hold Their Mouths Open for No Clear Reason. Tourists Are Helping Scientists Understand the Rare Behaviorhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humpback-whales-sometimes-hold-their-mouths-open-for-no-clear-reason-tourists-are-helping-scientists-understand-the-rare-behavior-180988743/A trove of photos and videos gathered from social media has helped researchers propose a few possible reasons for the seldom documented action, called "gaping," including communication, jaw stretching and playMon, 18 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humpback-whales-sometimes-hold-their-mouths-open-for-no-clear-reason-tourists-are-helping-scientists-understand-the-rare-behavior-180988743/Music From Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, Plus Dozens of Other 'Audio Treasures,' Added to National Recording Registryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/music-from-taylor-swift-and-beyonce-plus-dozens-of-other-audio-treasures-added-to-national-recording-registry-180988754/The 25 newest additions to the national playlist at the Library of Congress have been deemed "worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage"Fri, 15 May 2026 21:32:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/music-from-taylor-swift-and-beyonce-plus-dozens-of-other-audio-treasures-added-to-national-recording-registry-180988754/A 'Magical' Mirror the Powerful Queen of a British Tribe May Have Used Was Discovered in an Enormous Iron Age Hoard, Now on Displayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-magical-mirror-the-powerful-queen-of-a-british-tribe-may-have-used-goes-on-display-as-part-of-britains-largest-iron-age-hoard-180988751/Visitors to the Yorkshire Museum can see artifacts from the Melsonby Hoard, dating to the first century C.E., that rewrite the story of wealth and power in Britain around the time of the Roman invasionFri, 15 May 2026 20:44:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-magical-mirror-the-powerful-queen-of-a-british-tribe-may-have-used-goes-on-display-as-part-of-britains-largest-iron-age-hoard-180988751/Is the Unconscious Mind Aware of Its Surroundings? New Research Suggests Anesthetized Brains Can Process Overheard Wordshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-the-unconscious-mind-aware-of-its-surroundings-new-research-suggests-anesthetized-brains-can-process-overheard-words-180988710/Seven participants had electrodes temporarily implanted in a brain structure important for learning. While anesthetized, their nerve cells learned to differentiate between distinct sounds—and could even predict upcoming words in phrasesFri, 15 May 2026 15:40:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-the-unconscious-mind-aware-of-its-surroundings-new-research-suggests-anesthetized-brains-can-process-overheard-words-180988710/New, Rare Dove Hatchlings Are a 'Source of Hope' for the Extinct-in-the-Wild Birds and a Step Forward in the Ambitious Project to Save Themhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-rare-dove-hatchlings-are-a-source-of-hope-for-the-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-and-a-step-forward-in-the-ambitious-project-to-save-them-180988730/The Socorro dove has not been recorded in the wild since 1972, but that could change within only a few years, conservationists say, thanks to a long-term reintroduction effortFri, 15 May 2026 15:07:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-rare-dove-hatchlings-are-a-source-of-hope-for-the-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-and-a-step-forward-in-the-ambitious-project-to-save-them-180988730/A Man Spotted Strange-Looking Rocks Near a Pond in Thailand. They Turned Out to Be the Bones of a Massive New Dinosaur Specieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-spotted-strange-looking-rocks-near-a-pond-in-thailand-they-turned-out-to-be-the-bones-of-a-massive-new-dinosaur-species-180988744/Paleontologists have dubbed the long-necked, plant-eating creature "Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis." It's the 14th named dinosaur from Thailand, and it might be the biggest one ever found in Southeast AsiaFri, 15 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-spotted-strange-looking-rocks-near-a-pond-in-thailand-they-turned-out-to-be-the-bones-of-a-massive-new-dinosaur-species-180988744/Neanderthals Got Cavities, Too—and New Research Suggests They Drilled Into Their Teeth to Treat Them, Just Like Modern Dentistshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/Researchers unearthed a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar that shows signs of dental surgery, a discovery that pushes back the earliest evidence of dental work by roughly 45,000 yearsFri, 15 May 2026 13:34:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Sing Themselves to Death in an Opera at the Met Inspired by Greek Mythology and Mexican Magical Realismhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frida-kahlo-and-diego-rivera-sing-themselves-to-death-in-an-opera-at-the-met-inspired-by-greek-mythology-and-mexican-magical-realism-180988742/A new production of the all-Spanish opera "El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego" takes the stage in New York City this week, while a partner exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art explores the art behind the operaThu, 14 May 2026 20:23:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frida-kahlo-and-diego-rivera-sing-themselves-to-death-in-an-opera-at-the-met-inspired-by-greek-mythology-and-mexican-magical-realism-180988742/This Fish Hitches Rides in Manta Rays' 'Buttholes,' According to New Researchhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fish-hitches-rides-in-manta-rays-buttholes-according-to-new-research-180988736/Scientists suspect that the behavior could harm the manta rays, suggesting a complex relationship between remoras and their hosts that can sometimes be parasiticThu, 14 May 2026 19:56:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fish-hitches-rides-in-manta-rays-buttholes-according-to-new-research-180988736/No Joke, Ahead of His 100th Birthday, Mel Brooks Donates His Hilarious Archive to the National Comedy Centerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/no-joke-ahead-of-his-100th-birthday-mel-brooks-donates-his-hilarious-archive-to-the-national-comedy-center-180988741/Thousands of notes, storyboards, early scripts and photographs belonging to the “2,000-year-old man” and EGOT winner will join material from Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers and George CarlinThu, 14 May 2026 19:21:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/no-joke-ahead-of-his-100th-birthday-mel-brooks-donates-his-hilarious-archive-to-the-national-comedy-center-180988741/Could Building a Dam Across the Bering Strait Save the Planet From Some Effects of Climate Change?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-building-a-dam-across-the-bering-straight-save-the-planet-from-some-effects-of-climate-change-180988725/A preliminary study suggests that blocking off the waterway between Russia and Alaska could help the survival of a key system of ocean currents. But there could be potential unforeseen consequences, particularly to marine ecosystemsThu, 14 May 2026 16:05:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-building-a-dam-across-the-bering-straight-save-the-planet-from-some-effects-of-climate-change-180988725/Fetuses Can 'Catch' Yawns From Their Mothers While Still in the Womb, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fetuses-can-catch-yawns-from-their-mothers-while-still-in-the-womb-new-research-suggests-180988735/Yawning is considered a social behavior. Although fetuses were known to yawn, scientists weren't sure if it was a self-contained reflex or if they could somehow detect cues from their momsThu, 14 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fetuses-can-catch-yawns-from-their-mothers-while-still-in-the-womb-new-research-suggests-180988735/Did Homo Sapiens Really Outsmart Neanderthals? Different Skull Shapes Didn’t Necessarily Mean Unequal Brain Capacity, New Research Showshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-homo-sapiens-really-outsmart-neanderthals-different-skull-shapes-didnt-necessarily-mean-unequal-brain-capacity-new-research-shows-180988738/A study from U.S. and Chinese researchers suggests Neanderthals and early modern humans probably had similar cognitive abilitiesWed, 13 May 2026 21:29:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-homo-sapiens-really-outsmart-neanderthals-different-skull-shapes-didnt-necessarily-mean-unequal-brain-capacity-new-research-shows-180988738/The Relaxation of Regularly Listening to Songs or Drawing Pictures May Actually Slow Cellular Aging, New Research Showshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-relaxation-of-listening-to-a-song-or-drawing-a-picture-may-actually-slow-cellular-aging-new-research-show-180988734/According to a new study, people who are exposed to art on a weekly basis are about a year younger "biologically" than those exposed only once or twice per yearWed, 13 May 2026 20:39:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-relaxation-of-listening-to-a-song-or-drawing-a-picture-may-actually-slow-cellular-aging-new-research-show-180988734/This Renaissance Painting Took a Winding Path From Hitler’s Munich Apartment to an American Journalist’s Home to the National Gallery in Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-renaissance-painting-took-a-winding-path-from-hitlers-munich-apartment-to-an-american-journalists-home-to-the-national-gallery-in-london-180988733/An art historian recently spotted the 16th-century artwork in a rare photograph of Hitler’s old apartment that was printed in a 1978 furniture catalogWed, 13 May 2026 19:08:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-renaissance-painting-took-a-winding-path-from-hitlers-munich-apartment-to-an-american-journalists-home-to-the-national-gallery-in-london-180988733/This Microscopic Fungus Survived NASA's Sterilization Protocols—and Is Potentially Hardy Enough to Contaminate Marshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/The microbe was gathered from the agency's clean rooms, where experts build spacecraft in carefully controlled environments. The findings reveal gaps in the agency's procedures to prevent durable hitchhikersWed, 13 May 2026 18:57:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/See 17 Intricate Microscope Photographs That Make the Miniature World Immense. They Won the Evident Image of the Year Contesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-17-intricate-microscope-photographs-that-make-the-miniature-world-immense-they-won-the-evident-image-of-the-year-contest-180988722/The sixth annual competition showcases scientific microscopic imaging, illuminating tiny parts of nature, from individual cells to arthropods, diatoms and a zebrafish brainWed, 13 May 2026 18:45:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-17-intricate-microscope-photographs-that-make-the-miniature-world-immense-they-won-the-evident-image-of-the-year-contest-180988722/These Marine Algae Glow When Waves Disturb Them. Their Bioluminescence Could Power Electricity-Free Lamps of the Futurehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-marine-algae-glow-when-waves-disturb-them-their-bioluminescence-could-power-electricity-free-lamps-of-the-future-180988721/The single-celled organisms usually shimmer for mere milliseconds, but researchers figured out how to sustain their illumination. The technology could one day be used to light robots' ways in the deep sea or spaceWed, 13 May 2026 15:43:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-marine-algae-glow-when-waves-disturb-them-their-bioluminescence-could-power-electricity-free-lamps-of-the-future-180988721/Wolves Are Thriving at Michigan's Isle Royale National Park, Reaching Their Highest Numbers in Almost 50 Years, New Data Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wolves-are-thriving-at-michigans-isle-royale-national-park-reaching-their-highest-numbers-in-almost-50-years-new-data-suggests-180988727/Scientists estimate that 37 of the animals now roam the rugged archipelago, which has contributed to the dwindling moose population. But the predator-prey ratio might be stabilizingWed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wolves-are-thriving-at-michigans-isle-royale-national-park-reaching-their-highest-numbers-in-almost-50-years-new-data-suggests-180988727/Potatoes Didn't Just Feed Ancient Indigenous Communities in the Andes—the Tasty Tubers Also Reshaped People's DNAhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/potatoes-didnt-just-feed-ancient-indigenous-communities-in-the-andes-the-tasty-tubers-also-reshaped-peoples-dna-180988732/A new study finds that Indigenous Andeans living in what is now Peru have extra copies of a gene called AMY1, which helps the body digest starchTue, 12 May 2026 21:13:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/potatoes-didnt-just-feed-ancient-indigenous-communities-in-the-andes-the-tasty-tubers-also-reshaped-peoples-dna-180988732/NASA Just Uploaded More Than 12,000 Stunning Photos From the Artemis 2 Mission. Here Are a Few of Our Favoriteshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-just-uploaded-more-than-12000-stunning-photos-from-the-artemis-2-mission-here-are-a-few-of-our-favorites-180988697/Although the mission's four astronauts sent a few photos to Earth while in space, most needed to be delivered via physical memory cards once they returned to the planetTue, 12 May 2026 20:32:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-just-uploaded-more-than-12000-stunning-photos-from-the-artemis-2-mission-here-are-a-few-of-our-favorites-180988697/Marilyn Monroe Collections Assembled for Her 100th Birthday Cut Through Hollywood Glamour to Reveal the Star’s Human Sidehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/marilyn-monroe-collections-assembled-for-her-100th-birthday-cut-through-hollywood-glamour-to-reveal-the-stars-human-side-180988726/A selection of the movie star’s clothing, jewelry and dark, personal letters will be auctioned for the big anniversary of her birthTue, 12 May 2026 20:00:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/marilyn-monroe-collections-assembled-for-her-100th-birthday-cut-through-hollywood-glamour-to-reveal-the-stars-human-side-180988726/Microplastics Are Swirling Around in the Atmosphere, Where They Might Be Contributing to Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-swirling-around-in-the-atmosphere-where-they-might-be-contributing-to-climate-change-180988704/Airborne plastic particles, particularly colorful ones, absorb more sunlight than they reflect, which can heat the surrounding air, according to a new studyTue, 12 May 2026 16:49:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-swirling-around-in-the-atmosphere-where-they-might-be-contributing-to-climate-change-180988704/Benjamin Franklin Styled Lady Liberty’s Look in This Medal He Commissioned to Honor American and French Allies in the Revolutionary Warhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/benjamin-franklin-styled-lady-libertys-look-in-this-medal-he-commissioned-to-honor-american-and-french-allies-in-the-revolutionary-war-180988723/Franklin combined art with diplomacy to create the Libertas Americana. For the United States’ 250th anniversary, the Paris Mint is giving the design a refreshTue, 12 May 2026 16:03:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/benjamin-franklin-styled-lady-libertys-look-in-this-medal-he-commissioned-to-honor-american-and-french-allies-in-the-revolutionary-war-180988723/An English King Minted These Coins to Ward Off a Viking Invasion. Instead, the Seafaring Raiders Turned the Pennies Into Jewelryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/Aethelred the Unready viewed the attacks on his kingdom as divine retribution. He hoped that a show of public penance, including the creation of coins featuring religious imagery, would help earn God's forgivenessTue, 12 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/New Clues Help Solve the Mystery of an Enslaved Boy Pictured in a Portrait by a Leading English Artisthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-clues-help-solve-the-mystery-of-an-enslaved-boy-pictured-in-a-portrait-by-a-leading-english-artist-180988717/An oil painting by Joshua Reynolds features a named naval officer and a Black child whose life story was unknown until researchers searched through captains’ logs, letters and admiralty recordsMon, 11 May 2026 21:57:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-clues-help-solve-the-mystery-of-an-enslaved-boy-pictured-in-a-portrait-by-a-leading-english-artist-180988717/These Singing Mice Squeak Back and Forth—and Don't Interrupt. Scientists Found the Brain Pathway Behind Their Impressive Songshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/Alston’s singing mice carry out complex vocalizations and even appear to converse politely with one another. The neural circuitry that makes this possible is simpler than researchers expectedMon, 11 May 2026 20:44:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/Researchers Discovered the Remnants of a Secret, Illegal Whisky Distillery in a Stunning Scottish Parkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-the-remnants-of-a-secret-illegal-distillery-in-a-stunning-scottish-park-180988718/The copper still, likely used to make whisky, would have been hidden away from the oversight of tax collectors after Scotland outlawed unlicensed distilling centuries agoMon, 11 May 2026 20:23:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-the-remnants-of-a-secret-illegal-distillery-in-a-stunning-scottish-park-180988718/It Took Millions of Years for Australia's Famous Twelve Apostles Landmark to Rise Out of the Seahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australias-famous-twelve-apostles-landmark-rose-out-of-the-sea-across-missions-of-years-180988715/The iconic tourist destination provides a beautiful view, but also represents a physical record of Earth's climate historyMon, 11 May 2026 18:52:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australias-famous-twelve-apostles-landmark-rose-out-of-the-sea-across-missions-of-years-180988715/In 1969, the Beatles Played One Final Show. Their Makeshift Rooftop Stage in London Will Soon Become a Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1969-the-beatles-played-one-final-show-their-makeshift-rooftop-stage-in-london-will-soon-become-a-museum-180988714/Visitors to 3 Savile Row will be able to see a re-creation of the basement recording studio where the Beatles worked on their final album "Let It Be" and stand on the roof where the band thrilled Londoners with a surprise concertMon, 11 May 2026 18:40:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1969-the-beatles-played-one-final-show-their-makeshift-rooftop-stage-in-london-will-soon-become-a-museum-180988714/See 15 Stunning Images That Won the German Society for Nature Photography's Annual Contesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-that-won-the-german-society-for-nature-photographys-annual-contest-180988711/From a lunging frog to the majestic movements of penguins, the honored photographs capture the wonder of wildlife and beauty of natural landscapesMon, 11 May 2026 14:42:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-that-won-the-german-society-for-nature-photographys-annual-contest-180988711/NASA's Curiosity Rover Had a Martian Rock Stuck on Its Arm for Days. Watch It Finally Shake the Stubborn Stone Offhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-curiosity-rover-had-a-martian-rock-stuck-on-its-arm-for-days-watch-it-successfully-shook-the-stubborn-stone-off-180988708/While drilling has fractured rocks, this is the first time the instrument has ever accidentally pulled a whole chunk from the ground, according to the space agencyMon, 11 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-curiosity-rover-had-a-martian-rock-stuck-on-its-arm-for-days-watch-it-successfully-shook-the-stubborn-stone-off-180988708/Why Did This Wealthy Scotsman Pay a Jeweler to Wrap His Teeth in Gold Wire Hundreds of Years Ago?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/What an early example of a dental bridge reveals about health, wealth and social values in the late medieval and early modern worldFri, 08 May 2026 21:32:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/A Hiker in Norway Found an Elite Warrior’s Golden Sword Ornament. It Was Likely a Sacrifice to the Gods Made During a Time of Turmoilhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hiker-in-norway-found-an-elite-warriors-golden-sword-ornament-it-was-likely-a-sacrifice-to-the-gods-made-during-a-time-of-turmoil-180988707/Volcanic eruptions, climate change, crop failures, famine and plague all may have swept through Norway in the sixth century C.E., putting pressure on leaders and their communitiesFri, 08 May 2026 19:45:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hiker-in-norway-found-an-elite-warriors-golden-sword-ornament-it-was-likely-a-sacrifice-to-the-gods-made-during-a-time-of-turmoil-180988707/East Africa Might Break Off From the Continent Sooner Than Scientists Thought—and a New Ocean May Fill the Gaphttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/east-africa-might-break-off-from-the-continent-sooner-than-scientists-thought-and-a-new-ocean-may-fill-the-gap-180988659/A new study suggests that a rift in Kenya and Ethiopia has reached a critical stage in the split-up process, and that water may flood it in a few million yearsFri, 08 May 2026 18:48:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/east-africa-might-break-off-from-the-continent-sooner-than-scientists-thought-and-a-new-ocean-may-fill-the-gap-180988659/Mysterious Green Rocks Discovered in a Remote Cave in Spain Might Be Signs of Prehistoric People Working With Copperhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-green-rocks-discovered-in-a-remote-cave-in-spain-might-be-signs-of-prehistoric-people-working-with-copper-180988706/The find challenges assumptions that people in the region thousands of years ago did not spend much time at high altitudesFri, 08 May 2026 17:42:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-green-rocks-discovered-in-a-remote-cave-in-spain-might-be-signs-of-prehistoric-people-working-with-copper-180988706/This Sailor From the Franklin Expedition Died in the Arctic in a Uniform That Didn't Belong to Him. Now, DNA Has Revealed His Identityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/New research has identified four members of the doomed 1845 search for the Northwest Passage, including the owner of a paper-stuffed wallet that has long mystified historiansFri, 08 May 2026 16:07:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/The Fall of the Roman Empire Was Less a Clash of Civilizations and More an Opportunity to Mix and Mingle, a New Genetics Study Showshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fall-of-the-roman-empire-was-less-a-clash-of-civilizations-and-more-an-opportunity-to-mix-and-mingle-a-new-genetics-study-shows-180988699/Researchers who analyzed genomes from early medieval graves in modern-day Germany hypothesize that people from the former Roman Empire formed families with Germanic people soon after the empire fellFri, 08 May 2026 15:54:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fall-of-the-roman-empire-was-less-a-clash-of-civilizations-and-more-an-opportunity-to-mix-and-mingle-a-new-genetics-study-shows-180988699/Wild Cockatoos Learn Which Snacks Are Safe to Eat by Copying Their Friends, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-cockatoos-learn-which-snacks-are-safe-to-eat-by-copying-their-friends-new-research-suggests-180988696/Munching on the wrong items can lead to illness, but social learning might help the birds avoid making a potentially deadly mistake. The phenomenon could help explain why certain cockatoos have fared so well in urban environmentsFri, 08 May 2026 15:44:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-cockatoos-learn-which-snacks-are-safe-to-eat-by-copying-their-friends-new-research-suggests-180988696/This Tiny Celestial Body Past Pluto Shouldn't Have an Atmosphere—but Astronomers Say They May Have Detected Onehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-celestial-body-past-pluto-shouldnt-have-an-atmosphere-but-astronomers-say-they-may-have-detected-one-180988690/Worlds this small and distant are thought to be too cold and have too little surface gravity to hold onto gases. But the findings suggest that icy, rocky objects in the solar system's outer reaches are more dynamic than we thoughtFri, 08 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-celestial-body-past-pluto-shouldnt-have-an-atmosphere-but-astronomers-say-they-may-have-detected-one-180988690/Meet 'Gabi,' the Robot That Just Became a Monk at a Buddhist Temple in South Korea. It’s the Latest Robot to Take Up Religious Practicehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-gabi-the-new-robot-monk-at-a-buddhist-temple-in-south-korea-its-the-latest-robot-to-take-up-religious-practice-180988695/The humanoid promised to obey humans, save energy and treat other robots peacefully. South Korean Buddhist leaders have recently started to embrace artificial intelligenceThu, 07 May 2026 21:21:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-gabi-the-new-robot-monk-at-a-buddhist-temple-in-south-korea-its-the-latest-robot-to-take-up-religious-practice-180988695/Before ‘The Kiss,’ Gustav Klimt Got His First Big Art Assignment at This Austrian Theater. Now Visitors Can See His Ceiling Paintings Up Close for the First Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-kiss-gustav-klimt-got-his-first-big-art-assignment-at-this-austrian-theater-now-visitors-can-see-his-ceiling-paintings-up-close-for-the-first-time-180988698/As a young man, the artist who later became famous for working gold leaf into portraits earned a Golden Cross of Merit from an emperor for his contributions to Vienna’s BurgtheaterThu, 07 May 2026 19:13:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-kiss-gustav-klimt-got-his-first-big-art-assignment-at-this-austrian-theater-now-visitors-can-see-his-ceiling-paintings-up-close-for-the-first-time-180988698/FDA-Approved At-Home Brain Stimulation Device Aims to Treat Depression by Changing Patients’ Brain Excitabilityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fda-approved-at-home-brain-stimulation-device-aims-to-treat-depression-by-changing-patients-brain-excitability-180988654/The treatment consists of a Bluetooth headset that patients can connect to an app on their smartphones. It could mark a revolution in mental health medicineThu, 07 May 2026 16:39:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fda-approved-at-home-brain-stimulation-device-aims-to-treat-depression-by-changing-patients-brain-excitability-180988654/Chonkers the Massive Sea Lion Drew Crowds to San Francisco's Famed Pier 39. Then, a New Chunky Showstopper Stole His Identityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chonkers-the-massive-sea-lion-drew-crowds-to-san-franciscos-famed-pier-39-then-a-new-chunky-showstopper-stole-his-identity-180988691/The Steller sea lion was an unusual visitor to the pier, which typically hosts smaller California sea lions. However, he may have moved on days ago, during which time a humongous member of the area's more common species tricked onlookersThu, 07 May 2026 16:19:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chonkers-the-massive-sea-lion-drew-crowds-to-san-franciscos-famed-pier-39-then-a-new-chunky-showstopper-stole-his-identity-180988691/Urban Birds Seem to Be More Fearful of Women Than of Men—and Scientists Don't Know Whyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/urban-birds-seem-to-be-more-fearful-of-women-than-men-and-scientists-dont-know-why-180988688/The study examined 37 bird species in cities across five European countries. The animals allowed men to get about three feet closer than women, on average, before flying awayThu, 07 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/urban-birds-seem-to-be-more-fearful-of-women-than-men-and-scientists-dont-know-why-180988688/Before He Was a Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin Founded the Lending Library. Now His Belongings Are on Display There Before Heading to Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-benjamin-franklins-belongings-head-to-auction-they-go-on-display-at-a-place-he-loved-and-invented-a-library-in-philadelphia-180988692/In 1731, book lover Franklin created the Library Company of Philadelphia, where this week visitors can see a collection of his papers worth an estimated $3 million to $4.5 millionThu, 07 May 2026 13:43:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-benjamin-franklins-belongings-head-to-auction-they-go-on-display-at-a-place-he-loved-and-invented-a-library-in-philadelphia-180988692/Here's What Underwater Robots Are Finding at France's Deepest Shipwreck, a 16th-Century Merchant Vessel Resting at the Bottom of the Mediterraneanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/Known as the "Camarat 4," the ship was loaded with cannons, cauldrons and hundreds of ceramics—which are still visible on the seafloor. Researchers are surveying the site and carefully recovering a small selection of artifactsThu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/After World War II, This German Artist Turned the Art World Upside Down—Literally, by Inverting His Paintingshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-world-war-ii-this-german-artist-turned-the-art-world-upside-down-literally-by-inverting-his-paintings-180988689/Georg Baselitz, the renowned painter who played with perspective and flipped canvases on their head, died recently at age 88Wed, 06 May 2026 19:42:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-world-war-ii-this-german-artist-turned-the-art-world-upside-down-literally-by-inverting-his-paintings-180988689/Could Australia Be the First Country to Eliminate Cervical Cancer? It's on Track, but HPV Vaccination and Screening Rates Are Fallinghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-australia-be-the-first-country-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-its-on-track-but-hpv-vaccination-and-screening-rates-are-falling-180988681/The country implemented a national vaccination program to prevent the disease in 2007. New data show that in 2021, no women under age 25 were diagnosed with cervical cancer, marking a major milestoneWed, 06 May 2026 15:57:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-australia-be-the-first-country-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-its-on-track-but-hpv-vaccination-and-screening-rates-are-falling-180988681/'Lord of the Flies' Comes to Television for the First Time in a New Miniseries. In the 1950s, the Now-Famous Novel Almost Never Got Publishedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-miniseries-brings-lord-of-the-flies-to-television-for-the-first-time-in-the-1950s-the-now-famous-novel-almost-never-got-published-180988684/Publishers rejected the original manuscript for "Lord of the Flies" many times, yet the story still sparks a buzz today. Author William Golding later won the Nobel Prize in LiteratureWed, 06 May 2026 14:07:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-miniseries-brings-lord-of-the-flies-to-television-for-the-first-time-in-the-1950s-the-now-famous-novel-almost-never-got-published-180988684/Timmy the Whale Was Released Into the North Sea After Being Stranded Off the German Coast for Weeks. Was That the Right Call?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/timmy-the-whale-was-released-into-the-sea-after-being-stranded-off-the-german-coast-for-weeks-was-that-the-right-call-180988679/The humpback whale first entered shallow water at the end of March, but its health deteriorated over the past few weeks. Experts have criticized efforts to rescue the animal, which may have done more harm than goodWed, 06 May 2026 13:13:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/timmy-the-whale-was-released-into-the-sea-after-being-stranded-off-the-german-coast-for-weeks-was-that-the-right-call-180988679/A Deadly Outbreak of Hantavirus Has Stranded a Cruise Ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Here's What to Know About the Rare Contagionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/Three people associated with the vessel have died, and health officials have identified a total of two confirmed cases and five suspected cases of the infection. The virus usually spreads via contaminated rodent droppingsTue, 05 May 2026 21:08:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/Did Facial Recognition Find a Lost Portrait of Anne Boleyn? Scholars Debate Whether A.I. Solved or Merely Muddled an Art History Mysteryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-facial-recognition-find-a-lost-portrait-of-anne-boleyn-scholars-debate-whether-ai-solved-or-merely-muddled-an-art-history-mystery-180988677/Accused of treason, the second wife of Henry VIII lost her head. Now, some researchers argue that she also lost her face among dozens of potentially mislabeled portraits in a royal art collectionTue, 05 May 2026 20:36:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-facial-recognition-find-a-lost-portrait-of-anne-boleyn-scholars-debate-whether-ai-solved-or-merely-muddled-an-art-history-mystery-180988677/Cancer Is Somehow Rare in the Heart. Turns Out, the Organ's Rhythmic Beat Might Keep the Disease at Bay, a Mouse Study Findshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-is-somehow-rare-in-the-heart-turns-out-the-organs-rhythmic-beat-might-keep-the-disease-at-bay-a-mouse-study-finds-180988666/Less than 1 percent of cancers start in the heart, and disease that begins elsewhere seldom spreads to the blood-pumping organ. New research suggests mechanical force might have a protective roleTue, 05 May 2026 18:31:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-is-somehow-rare-in-the-heart-turns-out-the-organs-rhythmic-beat-might-keep-the-disease-at-bay-a-mouse-study-finds-180988666/In the Ancient World, This Pigment Was Worth More Than Gold. Archaeologists Discovered It Buried With Babies in Roman Coffinshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-ancient-world-this-pigment-was-worth-more-than-gold-archaeologists-discovered-it-buried-with-babies-in-roman-coffins-180988678/A funerary custom in Roman Yorkshire of pouring liquid gypsum over bodies before burial preserved traces of Tyrian purpleTue, 05 May 2026 18:20:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-ancient-world-this-pigment-was-worth-more-than-gold-archaeologists-discovered-it-buried-with-babies-in-roman-coffins-180988678/You've Been Told to 'Feed a Cold.' Turns Out, Eating May Truly Boost Your Immune System Cells, According to a New Studyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/T cells, which target infection and disease, can become more effective after a meal. The finding might help improve cancer-fighting therapies and optimize our response to vaccinesTue, 05 May 2026 15:56:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/Could Pluto Once Again Be Considered a Planet? New Remarks From NASA's Administrator Highlight an Enduring Debate Among Scientistshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-pluto-once-again-be-considered-a-planet-new-remarks-from-nasas-administrator-highlight-an-enduring-debate-among-scientists-180988671/Two decades ago, the International Astronomical Union—which defines and names celestial bodies—redefined the criteria for being a planet, putting Pluto into the new category of dwarf planetTue, 05 May 2026 15:56:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-pluto-once-again-be-considered-a-planet-new-remarks-from-nasas-administrator-highlight-an-enduring-debate-among-scientists-180988671/Ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Introduced New Mannequins With Diverse Body Types Inspired by Real Peoplehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ahead-of-the-2026-met-gala-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-introduced-new-mannequins-with-diverse-body-types-inspired-by-real-people-180988670/The new "Costume Art" exhibition pairs artworks with garments, some of them displayed on custom mannequins constructed through 3D printingMon, 04 May 2026 22:16:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ahead-of-the-2026-met-gala-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-introduced-new-mannequins-with-diverse-body-types-inspired-by-real-people-180988670/The Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower Peaks This Week, but a Bright Moon Might Spoil the Showhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week-but-a-bright-moon-might-spoil-the-show-180988669/This annual event, which peaks on the night of May 5 into the next morning, comes from the trail of debris left by Halley's comet. It's best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, but skywatchers in the north can catch a glimpseMon, 04 May 2026 20:48:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week-but-a-bright-moon-might-spoil-the-show-180988669/The Creator of 'Star Wars' Loves Art That Tells a Story. Peek at the Collection of George Lucas’ New Museum Before It Opens This Fallhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-creator-of-star-wars-loves-art-that-tells-a-story-peek-at-george-lucas-collection-before-his-new-museum-opens-this-fall-in-los-angeles-180988668/Adventure, comics, childhood, love and everyday life are among the dozens of themes that will guide the curation of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los AngelesMon, 04 May 2026 20:11:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-creator-of-star-wars-loves-art-that-tells-a-story-peek-at-george-lucas-collection-before-his-new-museum-opens-this-fall-in-los-angeles-180988668/Astronomers Discover 27 Potential Planets Each Orbiting Two Stars, Just Like the Fictional Tatooine in 'Star Wars'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discover-27-potential-planets-each-orbiting-two-stars-just-like-the-fictional-tatooine-in-star-wars-180988667/The findings could more than double our current database of worlds that loop around binary star systems. But researchers need to analyze more data before they can officially celebrate a new trove of far, far away exoplanetsMon, 04 May 2026 19:24:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discover-27-potential-planets-each-orbiting-two-stars-just-like-the-fictional-tatooine-in-star-wars-180988667/This Souvenir Bowl May Have Commemorated an Ancient Roman Soldier's Service at Hadrian's Wall. It Was Discovered on a Spanish Farm 1,900 Years Laterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/The artifact is decorated with an illustration of the defensive fortification in northern England, but it was unearthed some 1,200 miles away. A new study suggests the design reflects a soldier’s achievements at the siteMon, 04 May 2026 18:23:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/Why Do Cows Burp Up So Much Planet-Warming Methane? A Newly Discovered Structure in Their Gut Microbes Could Be a Culprithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-do-cows-burp-up-so-much-planet-warming-methane-a-newly-discovered-structure-in-their-gut-microbes-could-be-a-culprit-180988664/The "hydrogenobody" is an organelle inside certain microorganisms that live in a special stomach chamber in cattle, sheep and goats, according to a new studyMon, 04 May 2026 16:02:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-do-cows-burp-up-so-much-planet-warming-methane-a-newly-discovered-structure-in-their-gut-microbes-could-be-a-culprit-180988664/This Island in Scotland Is Actually a Man-Made Mini Landmass Resting on a Wooden Platform, New Discovery Showshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-island-in-scotland-is-actually-a-man-made-mini-landmass-resting-on-a-wooden-platform-new-discovery-shows-180988674/Scientists made significant advances in underwater archaeology techniques and photogrammetry while investigating the crannog siteMon, 04 May 2026 15:16:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-island-in-scotland-is-actually-a-man-made-mini-landmass-resting-on-a-wooden-platform-new-discovery-shows-180988674/A.I. Outperformed Doctors at Diagnosing Real-World E.R. Patients in a New Study. That Doesn't Mean Computers Will Replace Clinicianshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-outperformed-doctors-at-diagnosing-real-world-er-patients-in-a-new-study-that-doesnt-mean-computers-will-replace-clinicians-180988660/One of OpenAI's large language models did better than physicians in several experiments, hinting that A.I.-assisted emergency medical care could be around the cornerMon, 04 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-outperformed-doctors-at-diagnosing-real-world-er-patients-in-a-new-study-that-doesnt-mean-computers-will-replace-clinicians-180988660/See the Largest Viking Age Hoard Ever Found in Norway. At Nearly 3,000 Coins and Counting, the Cache Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Findhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-largest-viking-age-hoard-ever-found-in-norway-at-nearly-3000-coins-and-counting-the-cache-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-find-180988657/Buried in the mid-11th century, the stash includes silver pieces minted under rulers such as Cnut the Great, Aethelred the Unready and Harald HardradaMon, 04 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-largest-viking-age-hoard-ever-found-in-norway-at-nearly-3000-coins-and-counting-the-cache-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-find-180988657/Attributed to Banksy, a New Statue of a Suited Man, Blinded by a Flag and Walking Off a Ledge, Appeared in Central Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/attributed-to-banksy-a-new-statue-of-a-suited-man-blinded-by-a-flag-and-walking-off-a-ledge-appeared-in-central-london-180988662/The artwork was installed under the cloak of night this week, less than two months after a journalism investigation into Banksy’s true identity was publishedFri, 01 May 2026 21:51:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/attributed-to-banksy-a-new-statue-of-a-suited-man-blinded-by-a-flag-and-walking-off-a-ledge-appeared-in-central-london-180988662/The Real Winnie-the-Pooh Lives at the New York Public Library. When Queen Camilla Visited the Bear, She Reunited Him With a Dear Friendhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-real-winnie-the-pooh-lives-at-the-new-york-public-library-when-queen-camilla-visited-the-bear-she-reunited-him-with-a-dear-friend-180988661/On a state visit to the United States this week, the queen of the United Kingdom became the first British royal to visit the library as she fulfilled a mission to complete the set of toys that Christopher Robin once ownedFri, 01 May 2026 20:19:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-real-winnie-the-pooh-lives-at-the-new-york-public-library-when-queen-camilla-visited-the-bear-she-reunited-him-with-a-dear-friend-180988661/Six Decades Ago, a Boy Stole Medieval Tiles From an English Monastery. He Just Returned the Illicit Souvenirshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/A ghoulish face and a graceful dragon decorate the broken clay tiles from the late 13th century or early 14th century. They were found tucked in an old toffee tinFri, 01 May 2026 18:39:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/Hummus Made From Moon-Grown Chickpeas Might Be on the Menu for Future Lunar Residentshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hummus-made-from-moon-grown-chickpeas-might-be-on-the-menu-for-future-lunar-residents-180988320/Researchers successfully grew and harvested chickpeas in simulated moon dirt—with a little help from worm poop and a beneficial fungus. However, they're still testing whether the legumes are safe to eatFri, 01 May 2026 17:23:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hummus-made-from-moon-grown-chickpeas-might-be-on-the-menu-for-future-lunar-residents-180988320/This Greek Volcano Seemed Quiet for 100,000 Years. Then It Erupted Again. Should Scientists Take a Second Look at 'Extinct' Volcanoes?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-greek-volcano-seemed-quiet-for-100000-years-then-it-erupted-again-scientists-take-a-second-look-at-extinct-volcanoes-180988651/By reconstructing a 700,000-year history of Methana volcano, geologists found a prehistoric phase when it appeared inactive on the surface, despite magma building up below groundFri, 01 May 2026 16:50:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-greek-volcano-seemed-quiet-for-100000-years-then-it-erupted-again-scientists-take-a-second-look-at-extinct-volcanoes-180988651/Dead Bodies Filled a Mass Grave When the First Plague Pandemic Struck This Early Medieval City. New Research Explores the Identity of the Victimshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/Researchers analyzed isotopes and DNA in the teeth of remains found in a mass grave from the Plague of Justinian, which swept through the Byzantine EmpireFri, 01 May 2026 15:29:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/This Is the Largest, Most Detailed 3D Map of the Universe. It'll Help Astronomers Investigate a Cosmic Mystery: Dark Energyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-is-the-largest-most-detailed-3d-map-of-the-universe-itll-help-astronomers-investigate-a-cosmic-mystery-dark-energy-180988643/The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument spent five years observing the sky from Arizona. Now, researchers have a trove of data to study how the universe has evolved over billions of yearsFri, 01 May 2026 15:21:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-is-the-largest-most-detailed-3d-map-of-the-universe-itll-help-astronomers-investigate-a-cosmic-mystery-dark-energy-180988643/How Do You Lift a 30,000-Pound Mast From a Warship Built a Record-Breaking 261 Years Ago? With a Really, Really Big Cranehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/HMS "Victory" served in the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. It's the world’s oldest warship still in commission—but it's in desperate need of repairsFri, 01 May 2026 15:00:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/Alexander the Great’s (Marble) Head Turned Up in New York. U.S. Officials Say It Was Stolen—and Just Sent It Back to Italyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-the-greats-marble-head-turned-up-in-new-york-us-officials-say-it-was-stolen-and-just-sent-it-back-to-italy-180988650/As part of a longstanding effort to help Italy track down its missing treasures, the U.S. returned hundreds of ancient archaeological finds this weekThu, 30 Apr 2026 20:57:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-the-greats-marble-head-turned-up-in-new-york-us-officials-say-it-was-stolen-and-just-sent-it-back-to-italy-180988650/A Man and His Dog Discovered a 3,400-Year-Old Ax Head While Out for a Walk in One of England’s Ancient Forestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-and-his-dog-accidentally-discovered-a-3400-year-old-ax-head-while-out-for-a-walk-in-one-of-englands-ancient-forests-180988649/Researchers believe the ax dates to between 1400 B.C.E. and 1275 B.C.E. and is a relic of the Bronze Age, when humans started to work with metalThu, 30 Apr 2026 18:45:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-and-his-dog-accidentally-discovered-a-3400-year-old-ax-head-while-out-for-a-walk-in-one-of-englands-ancient-forests-180988649/Australia Has a Surprisingly Successful Truffle Industry. This New Study Could Explain Whyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australia-has-a-surprisingly-successful-truffle-industry-this-new-study-could-explain-why-180988653/Researchers examined hundreds of soil samples to uncover why the expensive fungi are thriving in the countryThu, 30 Apr 2026 17:43:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australia-has-a-surprisingly-successful-truffle-industry-this-new-study-could-explain-why-180988653/Researchers Discovered a Lost Copy of the Oldest English Poem, Composed by an Illiterate Cowherd More Than 1,300 Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-a-lost-copy-of-the-oldest-english-poem-composed-by-an-illiterate-cowherd-more-than-1300-years-ago-180988644/This version of "Caedmon’s Hymn" shows how Old English evolved. It also features early use of a punctuation mark that readers of English take for granted today—the period—but not in the expected wayThu, 30 Apr 2026 15:39:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-a-lost-copy-of-the-oldest-english-poem-composed-by-an-illiterate-cowherd-more-than-1300-years-ago-180988644/This Man Fled Pompeii as Mount Vesuvius Erupted. Archaeologists Found Him 2,000 Years Later, Holding a Bowl to Protect His Head and a Lamp to Light His Wayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/Recent excavations revealed two skeletons just outside the ancient city's walls. Researchers also created an A.I.-generated reconstruction of one of the victim's harrowing final momentsThu, 30 Apr 2026 15:10:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/Two Athletes Smashed a Marathon Milestone, Running 26.2 Miles in Under Two Hours. Here's the Science Behind Their Achievementshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/An intense training regimen, good weather conditions, physiology and lightweight shoes probably played a role in their astounding performances during the London Marathon on SundayThu, 30 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/A Metal Detectorist Stumbled Upon a Silver Coin. It Turned Out to Be Part of a Stash Buried During the Viking Invasion of Britainhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-stumbled-upon-a-silver-coin-it-turned-out-to-be-part-of-a-stash-buried-during-the-viking-invasion-of-britain-180988645/Archaeologists say that the 63 coins, most of which bear the name of King Burgred of Mercia, might have been hidden in the ninth century to keep them safe at a time of unrestThu, 30 Apr 2026 12:42:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-stumbled-upon-a-silver-coin-it-turned-out-to-be-part-of-a-stash-buried-during-the-viking-invasion-of-britain-180988645/A Father and Daughter Forged More Than 200 Artworks by Warhol, Banksy, Picasso and Others—and Sold Them for $2 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-father-and-daughter-forged-more-than-200-artworks-by-warhol-banksy-picasso-and-others-and-old-them-for-2-million-180988641/The New Jersey residents, who face up to 20 years in prison, commissioned an artist in Poland to create the fakes. They got special penalties for forging paintings by Native American artistsWed, 29 Apr 2026 21:26:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-father-and-daughter-forged-more-than-200-artworks-by-warhol-banksy-picasso-and-others-and-old-them-for-2-million-180988641/Scientists Create the First Detailed 'Smell Map' of Odor Sensors in the Mouse Nose—and Sniff Out Some Surprising Discoverieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-create-the-first-detailed-smell-map-of-odor-sensors-in-the-mouse-nose-and-sniff-out-some-surprises-180988639/In two new studies, researchers used genetic techniques to upend a longstanding assumption that nerve cells with scent detectors were randomly arranged. They don’t know whether the same spatial organization is found in human nosesWed, 29 Apr 2026 20:59:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-create-the-first-detailed-smell-map-of-odor-sensors-in-the-mouse-nose-and-sniff-out-some-surprises-180988639/These Are the Top Ten 'Endangered' Buildings and Bridges in England and Wales—and They Tell Us a Lot About Life in the Victorian Erahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-buildings-and-bridges-are-the-most-endangered-in-england-and-wales-and-they-tell-us-a-lot-about-life-in-the-victorian-era-180988642/Structures remaining from the height of the British Empire reveal changing economic, medical and education trends from the 1800s and early 1900s. But their legacy is at risk as they fall into disrepairWed, 29 Apr 2026 19:41:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-buildings-and-bridges-are-the-most-endangered-in-england-and-wales-and-they-tell-us-a-lot-about-life-in-the-victorian-era-180988642/The FDA Approves the First-Ever Gene Therapy for Deafness, Which Aims to Restore Hearing in Kids With a Rare Inherited Conditionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fda-approves-the-first-ever-gene-therapy-for-deafness-which-aims-to-restore-hearing-in-kids-with-a-rare-inherited-condition-180988635/The agency's decision is based on results from a clinical trial in which the treatment improved hearing in 80 percent of the pediatric participants. However, Deaf community advocates worry about the push to cure hearing lossWed, 29 Apr 2026 17:44:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fda-approves-the-first-ever-gene-therapy-for-deafness-which-aims-to-restore-hearing-in-kids-with-a-rare-inherited-condition-180988635/A Snorkeling Biologist Snapped the First-Ever Photo of Newly Hatched California Giant Salamanders in the Wild. Here’s Why That's a Big Dealhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-snorkeling-biologist-snapped-the-first-ever-photos-of-newly-hatched-california-giant-salamanders-in-the-wild-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal-180988619/The discovery provides another key data point about a little-known species for which every observation mattersWed, 29 Apr 2026 17:16:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-snorkeling-biologist-snapped-the-first-ever-photos-of-newly-hatched-california-giant-salamanders-in-the-wild-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal-180988619/This Giant 400-Year-Old Astrolabe—Made by Mughal Master Craftsmen and Owned by Royalty—Fetched Millions at Auctionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-400-year-old-astrolabe-made-for-royalty-by-mughal-master-craftsmen-and-owned-by-royalty-fetched-millions-at-auction-180988638/Ancient Greek astronomers and early Islamic scientists used astrolabes as mechanical computers to calculate time, determine height and navigate by the starsWed, 29 Apr 2026 14:07:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-400-year-old-astrolabe-made-for-royalty-by-mughal-master-craftsmen-and-owned-by-royalty-fetched-millions-at-auction-180988638/Watch the First Known Video of a Sumatran Orangutan Crossing a Human-Made Wildlife Bridge in the Treetopshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-the-first-known-video-of-a-sumatran-orangutan-crossing-a-human-made-wildlife-bridge-in-the-treetops-180988637/A public road in Indonesia separates forests housing about 350 wild orangutans, among other animals. So, conservationists built several canopy bridges to prevent habitat fragmentationWed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-the-first-known-video-of-a-sumatran-orangutan-crossing-a-human-made-wildlife-bridge-in-the-treetops-180988637/Known for Her Amusing Surreal Sculptures, This French Artist's Sinuous Set of Mirrors Just Shattered Auction Recordshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/known-for-her-amusing-surreal-sculptures-this-french-artists-sinuous-set-of-mirrors-just-shattered-auction-records-180988632/Claude Lalanne created the reflective ensemble for designer Yves Saint Laurent. Experts say it's second in importance only to the famous mirrors at the Palace of VersaillesTue, 28 Apr 2026 21:16:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/known-for-her-amusing-surreal-sculptures-this-french-artists-sinuous-set-of-mirrors-just-shattered-auction-records-180988632/Warm Waters Are Usually Trapped Deep Within the Southern Ocean. Now, They're Encroaching on Antarctica, Threatening Its Icehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/warm-waters-are-usually-trapped-deep-within-the-southern-ocean-now-theyre-encroaching-on-antarctica-threatening-its-ice-180988636/Two new studies that relied on data from a fleet of diving robots show how climate change is altering ocean movements in ways that jeopardize the stability of the polar ice capTue, 28 Apr 2026 19:48:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/warm-waters-are-usually-trapped-deep-within-the-southern-ocean-now-theyre-encroaching-on-antarctica-threatening-its-ice-180988636/Stained by Nicotine and Cocoa Powder, These Edvard Munch Paintings Hung in a Chocolate Factory Cafeteria for a Century. Now, They're Going on Public Display for the First Timehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/edvard-munchs-lesser-known-chocolate-factory-friezes-head-to-exhibition-in-norway-180988634/Three decades after "The Scream," the Norwegian artist painted scenes of daily life for the Freia chocolate factory. The artworks will be on display in his namesake museum in Oslo this springTue, 28 Apr 2026 18:23:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/edvard-munchs-lesser-known-chocolate-factory-friezes-head-to-exhibition-in-norway-180988634/Alexander Calder Thought 'It Would Be Fun' to Set Abstract Art in Motion. His Mesmerizing Mobiles Transformed the Definition of Sculpturehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-calder-thought-it-would-be-fun-to-set-abstract-art-in-motion-his-mesmerizing-mobiles-transformed-the-definition-of-sculpture-180988631/A new exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris spotlights 300 of the sculptor's groundbreaking kinetic artworks, large-scale public sculptures, paintings, drawings and wire portraitsTue, 28 Apr 2026 16:24:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-calder-thought-it-would-be-fun-to-set-abstract-art-in-motion-his-mesmerizing-mobiles-transformed-the-definition-of-sculpture-180988631/Worried Your House Is Haunted? The Spooky Sensation Might Arise From a Surprisingly Simple Sourcehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worried-your-house-is-haunted-the-spooky-sensation-might-arise-from-a-surprisingly-simple-source-180988622/Infrasound—noise below the range of typical human hearing—from power, heating and mechanical systems within buildings can make people feel irritated and induce a stress response, according to a new studyTue, 28 Apr 2026 15:44:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worried-your-house-is-haunted-the-spooky-sensation-might-arise-from-a-surprisingly-simple-source-180988622/Scientists Found This Mysterious Golden Orb on the Seafloor Nearly Three Years Ago. Now, They Finally Know What It Ishttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-this-mysterious-golden-orb-on-the-seafloor-nearly-three-years-ago-now-they-finally-know-what-it-is-180988624/After a long, winding road of tests, researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and other institutions determined that the strange blob once attached a large sea anemone to a rockTue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-this-mysterious-golden-orb-on-the-seafloor-nearly-three-years-ago-now-they-finally-know-what-it-is-180988624/A 13-Year-Old Boy Found This Bronze Coin in a Field. It Turned Out to Be the First Ancient Greek Artifact Discovered in Berlinhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-13-year-old-boy-found-this-bronze-coin-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-ancient-greek-artifact-discovered-in-berlin-180988627/Minted in Troy in the third century B.C.E., the object might have been buried as a gift to the dead. Archaeologists don't know exactly how it ended up in modern-day GermanyTue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-13-year-old-boy-found-this-bronze-coin-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-ancient-greek-artifact-discovered-in-berlin-180988627/A New Big Database of DNA From Indigenous Americans Shakes Up Scientists' Theories About Human Settlement of South Americahttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-big-database-of-dna-from-indigenous-americans-shakes-up-scientific-theories-about-human-settlement-of-south-america-180988628/Genomic data provides evidence for a previously unknown wave of migration, with Indigenous groups living in central and southern Mexico spreading into South America and the Caribbean starting around 1,300 years agoTue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-big-database-of-dna-from-indigenous-americans-shakes-up-scientific-theories-about-human-settlement-of-south-america-180988628/Fires in Berlin Destroyed Hundreds of Paintings During World War II. Now, a Museum Will Publish Photo Archives of the Lost Artworks Onlinehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fires-in-berlin-destroyed-hundreds-of-paintings-during-world-war-ii-now-a-museum-will-publish-photo-archives-of-the-lost-artworks-online-180988621/A proactive effort to document the collection of the Gemäldegalerie will pay off a century later as negatives of lost paintings by Rubens and Caravaggio are digitized and published onlineMon, 27 Apr 2026 20:25:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fires-in-berlin-destroyed-hundreds-of-paintings-during-world-war-ii-now-a-museum-will-publish-photo-archives-of-the-lost-artworks-online-180988621/Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Came From an Extremely Cold, Lonely Region of the Milky Way Galaxy, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-came-from-an-extremely-cold-lonely-region-of-the-milky-way-galaxy-new-research-suggests-180988625/Astronomers analyzed the vapors coming off the comet when it neared the sun and found it had a lot of "heavy" water. That hints it grew up in a frigid planetary system, possibly before its home star formedMon, 27 Apr 2026 19:26:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-came-from-an-extremely-cold-lonely-region-of-the-milky-way-galaxy-new-research-suggests-180988625/A Tourist Damaged Florence’s 'Fountain of Neptune' While Attempting to Grope Its Marble Statue on a Darehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tourist-damaged-florences-fountain-of-neptune-while-attempting-to-grope-its-marble-statue-on-a-dare-180988623/Fixing the fountain’s horse sculptures and frieze will cost nearly $6,000. The alleged offender is the latest tourist to harm artwork in response to peer pressure or in pursuit of social media cloutMon, 27 Apr 2026 17:52:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tourist-damaged-florences-fountain-of-neptune-while-attempting-to-grope-its-marble-statue-on-a-dare-180988623/This Bone-Crunching Octopus Was Nearly the Size of a Semitruck and May Have Feasted on Giant Reptiles 100 Million Years Agohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bone-crunching-octopus-was-nearly-the-size-of-a-semitruck-and-may-have-feasted-on-giant-reptiles-100-million-years-ago-180988616/The massive invertebrates may have been top predators, according to an analysis of their fossilized jaws. The work suggests that ancient oceans weren't completely ruled by spine-bearing creatures, as previously thoughtMon, 27 Apr 2026 16:04:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bone-crunching-octopus-was-nearly-the-size-of-a-semitruck-and-may-have-feasted-on-giant-reptiles-100-million-years-ago-180988616/See the 1-in-50-Million Split-Color Lobster Caught Off the Coast of Massachusetts. It's Carrying Two Sets of Genetic Informationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-1-in-50-million-split-color-lobster-caught-off-the-coast-of-massachusetts-its-carrying-two-sets-of-genetic-information-180988615/The unusual-looking crustacean is two-toned, with a line dividing its body into an orange side and a brown side. This can happen when two fertilized, unlaid lobster eggs touch—causing one to absorb the otherMon, 27 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-1-in-50-million-split-color-lobster-caught-off-the-coast-of-massachusetts-its-carrying-two-sets-of-genetic-information-180988615/Did Neanderthals Have Language? New Research Suggests They Had the Genetic Hardware for It, Like Humanshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-have-language-new-research-suggests-they-had-the-genetic-hardware-for-it-like-humans-180988620/Specific genomic regions that seem to play a role in human language development evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago, before humans and Neanderthals diverged from a common ancestor, a new study findsMon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-have-language-new-research-suggests-they-had-the-genetic-hardware-for-it-like-humans-180988620/